Jesse James, 41, told ABC News show "Nightline" in excerpts aired on Tuesday that he admitted to Bullock he cheated on her after the first media report of his affairs surfaced just after she had won her first Oscar in March for "The Blind Side."
"I told her basically everything, that I had affairs outside of our marriage," he said. "I think she's had her suspicions in the past, but, you know. I lied, and lied my way out of it. I lied to everyone about everything, even to myself."
James had affairs with at least four women — one of them while Bullock filming what would be her Oscar-winning role in sports drama "The Blind Side," according to various reports.
Bullock, 45, had given emotional speeches during Hollywood's awards season thanking James for his support, but she left their southern California home when the cheating scandal broke.
James says he felt disheartened when he saw pictures of Bullock with the baby they had only recently adopted and read she wanted to take the baby in her name. "Nightline" said he wanted to continue to co-parent their adopted child.
"It made me sad but I realize why things have to be done in a certain way," he said.
He said the couple found out last Christmas they had been successful in adopting the baby boy from New Orleans and received him on New Year's Day.
"To see her in the role as mother is, like, one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. She is like a fish to water. As soon as she put that baby in her hands it was automatic and amazing," he said.
In addition, he regretted photos that showed up in US tabloids of him posing in a Nazi salute.
"Dealing with losing my marriage, my son and embarrassing everyone and decimating my life, but to be called a racist on top of that is, it makes me really sad," he said. "It's not funny."
Upon telling Bullock he would attend rehab, James said Bullock told him "she was proud of me."
