Sandra Bullock stepped away from acting prior to partner Bryan Randall’s death

Sandra Bullock made a quiet career decision last year, as the actress has been rocked by the death of her partner Bryan Randall aged 57.

Sandra Bullock quietly announced her intention to step away from acting last year, almost 18 months before news of her longtime partner Bryan Randall’s death today sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry.

The Oscar-winning actress was in a private, eight-year relationship with the photographer, who died on Monday aged 57 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – a rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons.

“It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS,” a family statement read. “Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honour his request.

“At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan.”

Sandra Bullock and her longtime boyfriend Bryan Randall, who has died after a three-year battle with ALS. Picture: Jackson Lee/GC Images

In March last year, Bullock – who has been steadily making films for three decades – detailed her intention to take a years-long career pause while promoting her movie The Lost City. At the time, she said she wanted to focus on being a mum to her two adopted children Louis, 13, and Laila, 10.

“I would love to [continue making films] when I’m done being a mum. I’ll get back to it. I don’t know when. Probably when they’re teenagers, solidly 16 or 17-year-olds,” Bullock said in March 2022 at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

Bullock also appeared in the 2022 film Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt, but hasn’t starred on the big screen since.

According to IMDB, her next project is set to be the Lionsgate thriller Vigilance, which was first commissioned back in 2017 and is yet to begin filming.

Sandra Bullock and her daughter Laila. Picture: Instagram

Bullock and Randall had been dating since 2015, when he was hired to capture her son Louis’ birthday party.

The pair first made headlines after attending Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux’s wedding together in August that year, before making their debut red carpet appearance in October at the premiere of Bullock’s film Our Brand Is Crisis.

More recently, Bullock opened up about their romance in a rare interview on Red Table Talk in 2021, where she revealed Randall had an adult daughter – Skylar Staten Randall – from a previous relationship.

“I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children — three children, [Randall’s] older daughter. It’s the best thing ever,” Bullock said at the time.

Bullock gave a rare interview about her partner Bryan Randall on Red Table Talk in 2021.

The actress chatted with the show’s host, Jada Pinkett-Smith.

She added: “I don’t wanna say do it like I do it, but I don’t need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother … I don’t need to be told to be ever present in the hardest of times. I don’t need to be told to weather a storm with a good man.”

She added that he was a great “example” to her two children.

“He’s the example that I would want my children to have,” the actress said.

“I have a partner who’s very Christian and there are two different ways of looking at things. I don’t always agree with him, and he doesn’t always agree with me. But he is an example even when I don’t agree with him.

“I’m stubborn but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, ‘You’re saying it differently but we mean exactly the same thing.’

“It’s hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself.”

Sandra Bullock adopted Laila and Louis. Picture: People Magazine

Bullock maintained a private relationship with Randall for eight years. Picture: Raymond Hall/GC Images

Prior to her relationship with Randall, Bullock was married to US entrepreneur Jesse James.

The couple wed in 2005, before James was accused of cheating on Bullock with multiple women in March, 2010.

Bullock cancelled a series of engagements promoting her Oscar-winning film The Blind Side, with James issuing a public apology and checking himself in to rehab.

Bullock filed for divorce the following month.