bullock-prado was born in washington, d.c. her father, john w. bullock (1925–2018), was a united states army employee and voice coach; her german mother, helga meyer (1942–2000), was an opera singer who sang at the staatstheater nürnberg and the salzburg festival and taught voice at the mary washington college. bullock attended the university of virginia and southwestern law school, and became a licensed attorney in 1997.