Sandra Bullock: "I really appreciate where I am"

The Blind Side actress split from husband Jessie James last year when she discovered just days after winning the Best Actress Oscar that he had cheated on her but Sandra revealed at the 63rd Academy Awards that the experience and her son's adoption had helped her develop as a person.

"Motherhood has made me a better person. I'm more patient and accommodating. I really appreciate where I am." Sandra has faced a number of changes in her personal life in the past year as she secretly adopted son Louis in January 2010 and admitted she barely remembers last year’s ceremony because she was exhausted as she came to terms with her new role as a mother.

She explained to E! News: "When I was presenting last time I'd only had like two hours [of sleep] and I don't remember anything. I remember none of it."

Sandra, 46, looked stunning in a red Vera Wang gown at the awards – where she presented Colin Firth with his Best Actor Oscar for The King’s Speech – and she admitted she had chosen the dress for Louis.

She said: “It felt good. And I know a little guy who likes red."

But the actress was determined to have “fun” at the Oscars – even though she was missing her son. She admitted she doesn’t like leaving her child Louis – who she adopted in January 2010.I want to have fun tonight. I'm saying that I want to have fun, but I don't know if I will.

“It's hard. You just have to make a point of coming here and having a good time but all I want to do is go home (to see Louis). But I'll make the best out of it and stick around."

Despite Sandra’s reluctance to leave Louis, the 46-year-old star has just started shooting her first movie since she became a mother.

The actress is appearing in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opposite Tom Hanks and filming began in New York City last week.

Sandra loved being back on set and believes parenthood has made her a better actress.

She said: “I just did my first day of work in over a year and a half.

Sandra was at the ceremony to present Colin Firth his Best Actor Oscar.

Just days after her own Academy Award win in 2010, the brunette star suffered turmoil in her personal life when it was revealed her husband Jesse James had cheated on her.

The pair subsequently divorced and the motorcycle enthusiast is now engaged to tattoo artist Kat Von D.