Sandra Bullock Says Turning 60 Is ‘Pretty Awesome’ as She Admits ‘People Seem to Want Us to Be Afraid’ of Aging

Mar. 15, 2025

Sandra Bullock records birthday message for Hoda Kotb.Photo:Today with Hoda and Jenna/XSandra Bullockis helpingHoda Kotbusher in her new era with some sweet words of wisdom.Kotb, whoturned 60 on Friday, Aug. 9, wastreated to a birthday celebrationon the Monday, Aug. 12 broadcast ofToday with Hoda and Jenna,which included amemorable video message from Bullock.“I had so many brilliant and funny things prepared for you for this message that were just going to slay, but you know girl, I’m just too tired,” said Bullock, whoturned 60 on Friday, July 26.“I’m tired because I had to make my way up that mountain before you got there so I could check out the terrain and see what things look like, and just get the feel so I can fill you in. And it’s weird because people seem to want us to be afraid of what it might look like when we get there. Turns out it’s pretty damn great,” continued Bullock. “It’s pretty awesome.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!ThePractical Magicstar also thanked Kotb “for being so incredible to so many people.“Sandra Bullock in 2022.Jeff Spicer/Getty"What you do for a living and how you have to shape-shift every single day, how you navigate your kindness, even when that’s not what’s coming your way,” she said. “How you are to those you care about and how you keep them safe, and just who you are as a human being. We’re all pretty lucky to have you, especially your kids.“Bullock ended the video with a personal message for Kotb.“Happy birthday, my sweet friend. Thank you for allowing me to be in your circle,” said Bullock. “I feel very grateful. And I have your bar set up, up here, so we can look at the view. It’s pretty beautiful, but I need you up here. Happy birthday.“Hoda Kotb celebrates her 60th birthday on NBC’s “Today” show at Rockefeller Plaza on August 12, 2024.Debra L Rothenberg/WireImageKotb, the parents of daughtersHaley, 7, and Hope, 4,through adoption, got visibly emotional after watching the video message and expressed that she was inspired to become a mother afterwatching Bullock’s motherhood journey.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The reason that I have Haley and Hope is because when I was looking for inspiration of somebody who was a mom at my age, Sanda Bullock popped up and I called her and I said, ‘Tell me about motherhood,'” recalled Kotb. “And she said, ‘It is the best decision I ever made.’ And from that moment forward, she led the way to these two girls.“Bullock celebrated her 60th birthday on July 26, a year after her partner Bryan Randalldied at 57.“She’s doing okay now. Her kids are amazing. She’s very happy to be a mom,” a source close to Bullock’s friend Jennifer Aniston told PEOPLE in July.“Her friends gave her the support that she needed both during his illness and afterwards. She is grateful for all the love,” the source continued. “Everyone helped to lift her up after Bryan passed.”

Sandra Bullock records birthday message for Hoda Kotb.Photo:Today with Hoda and Jenna/X

Today with Hoda and Jenna/X

Sandra Bullockis helpingHoda Kotbusher in her new era with some sweet words of wisdom.Kotb, whoturned 60 on Friday, Aug. 9, wastreated to a birthday celebrationon the Monday, Aug. 12 broadcast ofToday with Hoda and Jenna,which included amemorable video message from Bullock.“I had so many brilliant and funny things prepared for you for this message that were just going to slay, but you know girl, I’m just too tired,” said Bullock, whoturned 60 on Friday, July 26.“I’m tired because I had to make my way up that mountain before you got there so I could check out the terrain and see what things look like, and just get the feel so I can fill you in. And it’s weird because people seem to want us to be afraid of what it might look like when we get there. Turns out it’s pretty damn great,” continued Bullock. “It’s pretty awesome.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!ThePractical Magicstar also thanked Kotb “for being so incredible to so many people.“Sandra Bullock in 2022.Jeff Spicer/Getty"What you do for a living and how you have to shape-shift every single day, how you navigate your kindness, even when that’s not what’s coming your way,” she said. “How you are to those you care about and how you keep them safe, and just who you are as a human being. We’re all pretty lucky to have you, especially your kids.“Bullock ended the video with a personal message for Kotb.“Happy birthday, my sweet friend. Thank you for allowing me to be in your circle,” said Bullock. “I feel very grateful. And I have your bar set up, up here, so we can look at the view. It’s pretty beautiful, but I need you up here. Happy birthday.“Hoda Kotb celebrates her 60th birthday on NBC’s “Today” show at Rockefeller Plaza on August 12, 2024.Debra L Rothenberg/WireImageKotb, the parents of daughtersHaley, 7, and Hope, 4,through adoption, got visibly emotional after watching the video message and expressed that she was inspired to become a mother afterwatching Bullock’s motherhood journey.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The reason that I have Haley and Hope is because when I was looking for inspiration of somebody who was a mom at my age, Sanda Bullock popped up and I called her and I said, ‘Tell me about motherhood,'” recalled Kotb. “And she said, ‘It is the best decision I ever made.’ And from that moment forward, she led the way to these two girls.“Bullock celebrated her 60th birthday on July 26, a year after her partner Bryan Randalldied at 57.“She’s doing okay now. Her kids are amazing. She’s very happy to be a mom,” a source close to Bullock’s friend Jennifer Aniston told PEOPLE in July.“Her friends gave her the support that she needed both during his illness and afterwards. She is grateful for all the love,” the source continued. “Everyone helped to lift her up after Bryan passed.”

Sandra Bullockis helpingHoda Kotbusher in her new era with some sweet words of wisdom.

Kotb, whoturned 60 on Friday, Aug. 9, wastreated to a birthday celebrationon the Monday, Aug. 12 broadcast ofToday with Hoda and Jenna,which included amemorable video message from Bullock.

“I had so many brilliant and funny things prepared for you for this message that were just going to slay, but you know girl, I’m just too tired,” said Bullock, whoturned 60 on Friday, July 26.

“I’m tired because I had to make my way up that mountain before you got there so I could check out the terrain and see what things look like, and just get the feel so I can fill you in. And it’s weird because people seem to want us to be afraid of what it might look like when we get there. Turns out it’s pretty damn great,” continued Bullock. “It’s pretty awesome.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

ThePractical Magicstar also thanked Kotb “for being so incredible to so many people.”

Sandra Bullock in 2022.Jeff Spicer/Getty

Jeff Spicer/Getty

“What you do for a living and how you have to shape-shift every single day, how you navigate your kindness, even when that’s not what’s coming your way,” she said. “How you are to those you care about and how you keep them safe, and just who you are as a human being. We’re all pretty lucky to have you, especially your kids.”

Bullock ended the video with a personal message for Kotb.

“Happy birthday, my sweet friend. Thank you for allowing me to be in your circle,” said Bullock. “I feel very grateful. And I have your bar set up, up here, so we can look at the view. It’s pretty beautiful, but I need you up here. Happy birthday.”

Hoda Kotb celebrates her 60th birthday on NBC’s “Today” show at Rockefeller Plaza on August 12, 2024.Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage

Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage

Kotb, the parents of daughtersHaley, 7, and Hope, 4,through adoption, got visibly emotional after watching the video message and expressed that she was inspired to become a mother afterwatching Bullock’s motherhood journey.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The reason that I have Haley and Hope is because when I was looking for inspiration of somebody who was a mom at my age, Sanda Bullock popped up and I called her and I said, ‘Tell me about motherhood,'” recalled Kotb. “And she said, ‘It is the best decision I ever made.’ And from that moment forward, she led the way to these two girls.”

Bullock celebrated her 60th birthday on July 26, a year after her partner Bryan Randalldied at 57.

“She’s doing okay now. Her kids are amazing. She’s very happy to be a mom,” a source close to Bullock’s friend Jennifer Aniston told PEOPLE in July.

“Her friends gave her the support that she needed both during his illness and afterwards. She is grateful for all the love,” the source continued. “Everyone helped to lift her up after Bryan passed.”

source: people.com