It's official, actress Sandra Bullock is the mother of a three-year-old girl named Laila. While the adoption might come as a surprise to most, the Gravity star has had Laila in her custody for quite some time. On Wednesday (Dec. 2), the mother of two opened up with People to reveal why she kept her daughter's adoption a secret for so long and the incident that could have ruined everything.
Today, the Oscar-winning actress shocked the world when she announced a major addition had been made to her family. Her adopted five-year-old son Louis is now a big brother, as Laila becomes the newest member of the Bullock family.
She adopted Laila through a foster care in Louisiana. Bullock admitted to keeping things quiet about the adoption process, because she wanted to guarantee a proper bond was formed with her daughter, ensure Child Protective Services deemed her a suitable match, and protect her daughter's privacy.
A photo posted by People Magazine (@peoplemag) on Dec 2, 2015 at 5:12am PST
“From the ruse I had to construct so that Louis didn’t have to lie to his friends at school, to the stories I constructed for friends and coworkers as to why I was absent all the time, the subterfuge was pretty elaborate,” Bullock told People.
The 51-year-old Our Brand is a Crisis star admitted to officially expanding her family about three years ago, when she first started fostering Laila. Until now, Bullock has denied adopting a second child and has never divulged any information about how long she fostered Laila or when she adopted her.
Paparazzi almost disrupted her plan to keep the adoption under wraps, when a nosey photographer snapped a picture of the actress with Laila during a trip to the emergency room. The adoption had yet to be completed, so Bullock quickly took action to make sure the photos weren't published.
"I had promised and legally agreed to protect her from something like this, and here I was chasing down lawyers - having them begging them to keep her safe," Bullock said.
Bullock revealed she was worried her opportunity to mother Laila would be jeopardized if news about her adoption became public before it was officially finalized. The years away from the public eye have helped both Bullock and Louis build a close relationship with her.
Louis, who she adopted in 2010, was reportedly excited to have a younger sibling, especially one with "some brown skin." Bullock is proud of her little brood and loves living in a "blended and diverse" family.
For more behind her adoption journey and adorable family photos of the Bullocks, check out the Dec. 14 issue of People on newsstands now.
