Sandra Bullock Reveals Why She Filmed Practical Magic 2 Only When Her Kids Were Out of School

Sandra Bullock is back on screen — and she made sure her children came first every step of the way.

On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the 61-year-old actress attended the CNBC Changemakers Summit in New York City. There, she spoke with moderator Julia Boorstin and Warner Bros. co-chair and CEO Pam Abdy about balancing her career with motherhood.

Bullock opened up about her highly anticipated return to Hollywood with Practical Magic 2, explaining that she only agreed to film because the schedule worked around her kids’ time off from school.

“I made this film at this time because I knew my kids were out of school,” she said during the summit. “I’m not going to sacrifice my children’s — my time — with my kids.”

The Bullet Train and The Lost City star is a proud mom to two adopted children — son Louis, whom she welcomed in 2010, and daughter Laila, adopted in 2015. She adopted both children in her late 40s and has always said the timing felt just right.

Speaking to the crowd, Bullock made it clear that her work only gets better when her children are happy and well taken care of. “I do not do my best work if my children are struggling or if they need something and I can’t facilitate it,” she shared.

She also spoke about the strength of working mothers everywhere. “I’m raising my children, not anybody else. But I have the luxury of doing that in this business. So many people don’t,” she said. “Women can do it. We can do 15 things at one time and get it done.”

Practical Magic 2 marks Bullock’s first return to the big screen in four years. She had stepped away from acting to focus on healing and family following the death of her longtime partner Bryan Randall, who passed away in August 2023 after a private three-year battle with ALS.

According to a source who spoke with PEOPLE, Bullock is now in a good place. “She spent a lot of time healing, being with her kids and being at home,” the insider shared. “She needed to ensure that she and her kids were in the best possible place for her to go back to work.”

Fans are clearly excited to see Sandra Bullock back on screen. And it looks like she found the perfect balance — putting her family first while delivering the work that audiences have been waiting for.