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Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union
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Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade (née Union; born October 29, 1972)[2] is an American actress, model and author. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on television sitcoms before landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films She's All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. Her breakthrough role arrived the following year in the teen film Bring It On.

Key Information

Union is known for her performances in the romantic comedy films The Brothers (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Daddy's Little Girls (2007), Think Like a Man (2012) and Think Like a Man Too (2014). She also had starring roles in the CBS medical drama series City of Angels (2000) and in the films Bad Boys II (2003), Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), Neo Ned (2005), Cadillac Records (2008), Top Five (2014), Breaking In (2018), and The Perfect Find (2023). She has also co-starred in the films The Birth of a Nation (2016), Almost Christmas (2016) and Sleepless (2017).

Union starred as the lead characters in BET drama series Being Mary Jane (2013–2019), for which she has received an NAACP Image Award, and in the crime series L.A.'s Finest (2019–2020). Outside of acting, Union has written four books: two memoirs, titled We're Going to Need More Wine (2017) and You Got Anything Stronger? (2021), and two children's books, titled Welcome to the Party (2020) and Shady Baby (2021).

At the age of 19, Union was attacked and raped at gunpoint.[3] She has been an outspoken advocate for issues involving women's health, LGBTQ+ equality, and violence against women, and was awarded the President's Award from the NAACP Image Awards, alongside her husband Dwyane Wade for their humanitarian efforts.[4] Union was included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.[5]

Early life

[edit]

Union was born on October 29, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Theresa (née Glass), a phone company manager and social worker, and Sylvester E. Union, a military sergeant.[6][7] She was raised Catholic.[8] During her childhood, she was taught to be "an independent woman, standing on my own two feet, and that's the road I opted to take."[9] According to Union, her mother taught her to have a "world perspective" and took her to a gay pride parade at the age of eight after the family moved to Pleasanton, California.[8] She attended Foothill High School[10] where she was a year-round student athlete, competing in varsity soccer, track, and basketball. Union dated fellow student Jason Kidd during her junior year.[11]

Union's parents divorced after 30 years of marriage. She said, "They handled their divorce and our subsequent transition into a blended family with grace, dignity and respect. They always put us first and didn't involve us. I'm lucky that I can just mirror what my parents did and always put the kids first. They're pretty awesome. I'm lucky."[12]

Union grew up with self-esteem issues relating to colorism, as one of the few African-American children in her environment.[13] When Union was younger, she believed that "blonde was the ideal of beauty, and if I looked nothing like that, then I must be ugly."[14] On her college football memories, Union reflected, "In my family if you couldn't talk Cornhusker football—that means knowing the Blackshirt defense, knowing the I-back formation—then you don't get to have an opinion. When I first toured the Nebraska campus and I saw Turner Gill walk, I freaked out. That was like the biggest star-struck moment I've probably ever had in my life. But it's because I grew up in a household that always talked specifically Cornhusker football and Big 8 sports at the time."[15]

During the summer before starting her sophomore year of college at UCLA, at the age of 19, Union was attacked and raped at gunpoint at her part-time job at a Payless shoe store by a robber.[3] Union has said she would not have survived the attack had it not been for self-defense lessons from Oprah Winfrey's talk show.[16] She successfully sued Payless for negligence, alleging that the store failed to warn employees about the assailant, who had previously been identified robbing another Payless location.[17]

Union has a bachelor's degree in sociology from UCLA.[18][19]

Career

[edit]

Early roles

[edit]

Union started her acting career with minor roles. Her first audition was for Saved by the Bell.[20] In 1997, Union appeared in the sixth-season episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—"Sons and Daughters" as the Klingon N'Garen. She also appeared in Moesha as Ashli, Sister, Sister as Vanessa, in Smart Guy as Denise, and in five episodes of 7th Heaven as Keesha Hamilton. She also appeared on an episode of Friends, "The One with the Cheap Wedding Dress", as Kristen, a love interest to both Ross and Joey. Other earlier roles included teen movies such as She's All That and 10 Things I Hate About You.[20]

2000–2009

[edit]
Union in February 2009

Union appeared in the 2000 film Love & Basketball. She then played the role of Isis in the cheerleading movie Bring It On, which helped push Union into the mainstream.[21] Bring It On led to Union being cast in the CBS television drama City of Angels as Dr. Courtney Ellis. In 2001, Union was featured in The Brothers and was seen as having a "beguiling sincerity, even when she's fudging the truth."[22] Union was cast in her first leading role in the 2003 film Deliver Us from Eva. When casting Eva, director Gary Hardwick was looking for an actress capable of instantly changing "from funny to caustic and dramatic." Hardwick had previously worked with Union in The Brothers and believed she was perfect for the role of Eva.[23] Union's role in the film was met with praise, with Dustin Putman of All-Reviews.com writing that she was "the star attraction, and the number-one reason to even consider seeing the film."[24] Union drew influence from her father for the "stern" look she had in the film, admitting that she had stolen it from him.[23]

In 2003, Union landed the role of the main character Mike Lowrey's girlfriend, Syd, in the film Bad Boys II, a box-office success grossing more than $273 million worldwide. Union felt that she had been "blessed" with her role in the film, feeling it elevated her career.[25] That same year, she lent her voice to the animated television series The Proud Family. The following year, she appeared in Something the Lord Made. Union also starred in the 2004 film Breakin' All the Rules, which was unpopular with critics.[26][27] She appeared in the 2005 film Neo Ned, portraying an African-American woman with delusions that she is Adolf Hitler. She and co-star Jeremy Renner were noted by Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times as having "a strange, offbeat chemistry that drives the film".[28] She won an award for Best Actress in Neo Ned at the Palm Beach International Film Festival, and the film received awards at several festivals.

She starred in the 2005 remake of The Honeymooners.[29] That year, Union also starred in the short-lived ABC series Night Stalker. She called the series a "reworking" rather than a remake. Union admitted that at the time of getting the script she was turned off, but she became interested after reading the script at her agent's insistence. She then met with series creator Frank Spotnitz and executive producer Daniel Sackheim, who told her they thought of her anytime they thought of the character.[30] In 2006, she starred in the music video for Busta Rhymes' "I Love My Bitch".[31]

Union starred in the 2007 film Daddy's Little Girls by Tyler Perry. The role of Julia Rossmore, a romantically challenged attorney, was written with her in mind.[32] Before working with Perry, she went to see his stage show to both understand him and his audience.[33] She filmed Daddy's Little Girls in mid-2006 in Atlanta, Georgia.[34] Union was praised for her character's portrayal and for having a "great sense of comedic timing".[35] Union's character also drew comparisons to Eva, her role in Deliver Us from Eva. According to Union, Perry had specifically approached her over not turning the role into the same character.[36] Union starred with Morris Chestnut in the 2007 Christmas film The Perfect Holiday. Since she had no children of her own, Union drew on her familiarity with her mother and sister to portray the divorced single mother of three in the film.[37] Union initially turned down the role, as she did not want to get typecast for playing a mother until she was told of other actresses that had played similar roles and still found success in their careers.[8]

In an interview with Art Nouveau Magazine, Union complained about the lack of roles for Black actresses and actors in Hollywood: "There used to be [roles] specifically written black, if you knew Denzel was doing a movie you knew his wife, girl or love interest was going to be black [but] that's not necessarily the case anymore. You're in that room with every amazingly talented actress of every hue, and it's a dogfight, it's hard."[38][39]

In 2008, Union appeared on Ugly Betty for three episodes as Renee, Wilhelmina Slater's sister and Daniel Meade's love interest.[40] She also made a cameo appearance in the music video for Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent".[41] Union appeared in the 2008 film Cadillac Records.[42][43][44] She portrayed Geneva Wade, who later married Muddy Waters.[45] Union, who was reported to have signed on to the film in March 2008, was seen as a "pleasant surprise" in the film, and her performance was said to have shown she had larger acting range than her previous roles.[46] Union later called taking the role of Geneva Wade in the film the best business decision she had ever made.[47] Union appeared in the 2008 film Meet Dave, playing the love interest of the title character. Union said the film was a gift.[48] That same year, she wrote the foreword for Hill Harper's Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE your Destiny.[49] Union joined the cast of the American television series Life on NBC and appeared in four episodes prior to its cancellation in May 2009.[50] She appeared in the ABC series FlashForward, a role for which she was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2010.[citation needed]

2010s

[edit]
Union in September 2010

After she was reported to be joining the cast in June 2010, Union appeared in episodes of Army Wives and NTSF:SD:SUV:: in 2010 and 2011.[51] Union was reported in May 2011 to have landed roles in Think Like a Man, a romantic comedy based on Steve Harvey's book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, and an indie film, Family Tree.[52] In June 2011, Union defended the music video for the Rihanna single "Man Down" after it sparked controversy for its depiction of a rape victim shooting and killing her attacker. Union related that every rape victim was "unique", which extended to how they believed justice should be carried out.[53]

In January 2012, Union was announced to be a participant in Bounce TV's documentary Our History.[54] In 2012, she played Natalie in the romantic comedy Good Deeds, playing the fiancée of the Wesley Deeds character.[55] Union said that after she read the script, she became interested in working with Tyler Perry again and enjoyed working with the cast.[56] She then appeared in Steve Harvey's film Think Like a Man. Union related to her character for having married and divorced young.[57] She and Meagan Good were seen as having taken advantage of their "straightforward characters to add spots of comic zest as well."[58] Her next appearance was In Our Nature. The film was the directorial debut of Brian Savelson. Savelson had offered Union the role two years prior to the film's release in 2010.[59] Union saw In Our Nature as a personal victory for her career.[60]

In 2013, she began starring in the BET network show Being Mary Jane.[61] Union learned of the series while auditioning for Scandal for the role of Olivia Pope, which ultimately went to Kerry Washington.[62] Union has said that she is content with having lost the role in Scandal to Washington: "I didn't get Scandal, but I got something better, which is my own show."[63] Union was impressed with the show's quality and professionalism.[64] Also in 2013, Union starred in Ava DuVernay's short film The Door as part of Miu Miu's Women's Tales campaign.[65]

Union reprised her role as Kristen in Think Like a Man Too in 2014, but it received mostly negative reviews.[66] She believed the film would do well[67] and faced comparisons to her character, who was a newlywed while Union was engaged at the time, a similarity she dispelled by insisting she kept her relationship "enjoyable, fresh and exciting".[68] Union was announced in July 2014 as a producer in the Lifetime film With This Ring.[69][70] She was featured in Chris Rock's Top Five, playing the fiancée of Rock's character. Union viewed her Top Five character as being similar to members of the Kardashian family or the Braxton sisters.[71] In November 2015, Union began voicing Nala in the Disney movie and series The Lion Guard.[72] In October 2016, Union was featured in The Birth of a Nation as Esther, a slave in the Antebellum South who is raped by a white man.[73] Union stated in an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times that she took the role due to her relating to it as a rape victim herself.[74] Later that year, Union had a prominent role as Rachel Meyers in the comedy film Almost Christmas, released in November. Ariel Scotti of The New York Times panned Union's performance: "Each overused phrase that falls out of her character, Rachel's, vindictive, childish mouth takes viewers further out of the movie experience."[75]

In 2017, Union launched Flawless by Gabrielle Union, a line of hair-care products that catered to people with textured hair.[76][77] In September 2017, Union announced a collaborative partnership with Invicta Watch Group that included a line of watches she designed.[78] In 2018, she starred in the action thriller film Breaking In.

In 2019, Union began starring as Syd Burnett in the Bad Boys spin-off L.A.'s Finest, a Charter Spectrum original series that premiered May 13 [79] and was later renewed for a second season.[80] Union was also a judge for the fourteenth season of America's Got Talent. In November 2019, the show failed to renew her contract for another season, allegedly because she spoke out against racism. Union's fellow America's Got Talent judge Julianne Hough's contract was also not renewed.[81] In May 2020, Union filed a discrimination suit against the producers of America's Got Talent, citing racism and prejudice.[82]

2020s

[edit]

On Disney Investor Day, December 11, 2020, it was announced that Union would be starring with Zach Braff in a remake of Cheaper by the Dozen,[83] which was released under the same title in March 2022.[84] In December 2021, she played Tootie Ramsey in The Facts of Life segment of the third edition of Live in Front of a Studio Audience, recreating the episode "Kids Can Be Cruel".[85]

In March 2022, she was cast as the lead for the third season of Truth Be Told on Apple TV+.[86]

She returned to The Proud Family on its sequel series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder in a second-season episode airing in early 2023.[87]

Books

[edit]

In April 2017, Union announced her first book, a memoir titled We're Going to Need More Wine. The book "feature[s] personal stories and reflections on a range of topics that continue to define the contemporary landscape: sexuality, womanhood, friendship, race, marriage, and beauty."[88] Union described the book as "the good, the bad, and the WTF."[89] Released on October 17, 2017, the book was published by Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.[90] In December 2017, it was named a "Best Book of the Year by a Black Author" by The Root magazine.[91]

In May 2020, Union released her first children's book, Welcome to the Party, an ode to newborns and non-traditional families that was inspired by her daughter.[92] She collaborated with her husband Dwyane Wade on a second children's book, Shady Baby, published on May 18, 2021.[93] She released a second memoir, You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories on September 14, 2021.[94]

Other commercial projects

[edit]

Union became a spokeswoman for Neutrogena in 2004. In 2010, she launched Love & Blessings, a clothing line for plus-sized women,[95] which was inspired by her full-figured sister.[96] In March 2014, Union released her first wine, Vanilla Puddin'.[97] That November, she became the first celebrity ambassador and creative advisor for the nail polish company SensatioNail.

In 2020, Union relaunched her haircare brand, Flawless, for women with textured hair. The collection is affordably priced and “empowers consumers to customize a regimen specific to their texture and style preference.”[98] That same year, she joined Bitsy's as a cofounder with “the goal of making allergen-friendly, school-safe snacks that are accessible and affordable for all families regardless of their socioeconomic or geographic status.”[98]

Union and her daughter Kaavia are a part of the ownership group of Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League.[99]

Activism

[edit]

Union is an advocate for survivors of assault[100] and has voiced her support for Jada, a Texas teenager who was sexually assaulted while passed out during a party. The assault, which was filmed and posted online, was mocked by others on social networking websites.[101][102][103]

Union has also spoken about the importance of therapy, and how she herself was able to quickly find therapy with the help of family members and co-workers.[104]

Union addressed the killing of Trayvon Martin, stating that "when you have influence, I think it's the responsible thing to do, to speak out on an issue when you see injustice. I'm still fighting for Trayvon [...] we all should."[57] In the months following Martin's death, Union supported a petition that called for Florida District Attorney Norman Wolfinger to bring charges against George Zimmerman.[105] After Zimmerman was acquitted of charges in Martin's death in July 2013, Union remarked, "Apparently walking while black is a crime punishable by death."[106]

Union rebuked Todd Akin's position on abortion, which he defended saying that a woman would not be able to get pregnant in the case of "legitimate rape."[107]

When Tanganyika Williams, the aunt of NBA player Matt Barnes, was murdered on July 8, 2014, Union posted calls on both Instagram and Twitter for anyone with information on Tanganyika's killer to report it to authorities.[108]

Oprah Winfrey said she was inspired by Union's "Fierce and Fearless Award" acceptance speech, in which Union admitted she once reveled "in gossip and rumors," because Winfrey "never heard anyone be that honest in public or private about the competition and fierce drive to be seen and succeed in Hollywood."[109]

In February 2012, Union was identified as a suspicious person by airport security and subjected to a "hair patdown."[110] She tweeted a joke about the experience: "Hopefully my weave doesn't cause turbulence. It's clearly very powerful."[111]

Union ran in the Global Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 2, 2012, in honor of her friend Kristen Martinez, who died from breast cancer.[112] Union was present at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., on August 23, 2013, and unveiled a limited-edition 1963 March on Washington stamp to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the march.[113]

Union is an Ambassador in Susan G. Komen for the Cure's Circle of Promise.[114] Union became a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood's breast health initiative and launched the Women Are Watching campaign with other actresses in 2012. In October 2014, it was announced that Union would be designing T-shirts to bring attention to the Women Are Watching campaign.[115]

In 2020, Union collaborated with JusticeLA to create a public service announcement #SuingToSaveLives about the health of people in L.A. County jails amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[116][117]

Politics

[edit]

In 2008, Union supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaign.[118][119] After working on the unsuccessful pilot for Army Wives, Union was appointed by President Obama to work with the National Advisory Committee for Violence Against Women.[120] Obama contacted her specifically after learning that the pilot had fallen through.[121] Union participated in the Obama campaign's "Greater Together" initiative[122] as part of his re-election campaign in 2012.[123] In August 2012, Union called on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release his tax returns and birth certificate, noting his father, George W. Romney, had released his own tax returns while a presidential candidate.[124]

In November 2014, the office of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced a campaign titled "Take a Stand" and its commission of a short film featuring Union and Tika Sumpter.[125] Union was named in the 2020 Time 100 list of most influential people.[126] In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the actress encouraged Facebook users to make sure they had everything they needed to make their vote count by seeking out VoteRiders.[127]

Personal life

[edit]

Union met NFL player Chris Howard at a party in 1999. They married on May 5, 2001, and separated in October 2005.[128] The divorce was finalized in 2006.[129] In a 2014 interview, Union said that she may have rushed into the relationship for the wrong reasons, stating that, "In my 20s, I was all about getting the ring".[130] Union had earlier reflected that she spent much of the marriage "upset", and from the relationship she realized that the men in her life were "just human".[131]

In 2008, Union began dating NBA player Dwyane Wade.[132][133] They married on August 30, 2014, in Miami, Florida,[134] and she became a stepmother to his three children.[135][136] Union stated in an interview prior to the marriage that she and Wade would be signing a prenuptial agreement to protect their individual assets.[137] On November 7, 2018, they welcomed a daughter, Kaavia James Union Wade, who was born via surrogate.[138][139]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Gabrielle Union

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1999 She's All That Katarina "Katie" Darlingson
10 Things I Hate About You Chastity Church
2000 Love & Basketball Shawnee
Bring It On Isis
2001 The Brothers Denise Johnson
Two Can Play That Game Conny Spalding
2002 Abandon Amanda Luttrell
Welcome to Collinwood Michelle
2003 Deliver Us from Eva Evangeline "Eva" Dandrige
Cradle 2 the Grave Daria
Bad Boys II Special Agent Sydney "Syd" Burnett
Ride or Die Masked Woman Video
2004 Breakin' All the Rules Nicky Callas
2005 Neo Ned Rachael
The Honeymooners Alice Kramden
Say Uncle Elise Carter
2006 Running with Scissors Dorothy Ambrose
2007 Constellation Carmel Boxer
Daddy's Little Girls Julia Rossmore
The Box Det. Cris Romano
The Perfect Holiday Nancy Taylor
2008 Meet Dave No. 3 - Cultural Officer
Cadillac Records Geneva Wade
2012 Think Like a Man Kristen
Good Deeds Natalie
In Our Nature Vicki
2013 Miss Dial Long Story Caller
The Door She Short
2014 Think Like a Man Too Kristen
Top Five Erica Long
2016 The Birth of a Nation Esther [140]
Almost Christmas Rachel Meyers [141]
2017 Sleepless Dena Smith [142]
2018 The Public Rebecca Parks
Breaking In Shaun Russell
2020 Fearless General Jayne Nadia Blazerhatch (voice)
2022 Cheaper by the Dozen Zoey Baker
The Inspection Inez French
Strange World Meridian Clade (voice) [143]
2023 The Perfect Find Jenna Jones
2024 Space Cadet Pam
Riff Raff Sandy
2026 Goat † Jett Fillmore (voice) In production
TBA The Casket Girls † Detective Shay Williams Post-production
Forbidden Fruits † TBA Filming

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Family Matters Mall Girl Episode: "Scenes from a Mall"
1995 Saved by the Bell: The New Class Hilary Episode: "The Christmas Gift"
1996 Moesha Ashli Episode: "Friends"
Malibu Shores Shannon Everette Episode: "The Competitive Edge"
Saved by the Bell: The New Class Jennifer Episode: "The Tall and the Short of It"
Goode Behavior Tracy Monaghan Recurring cast
1996–97 Jungle Cubs Sydney (voice) Guest cast (season 1–2)
1996–99 7th Heaven Keesha Hamilton Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 2–3)
1997 Smart Guy Lydia Episode: "Don't Do That Thing You Do"
Dave's World Carly Episode: "Oh Dad, Poor Dad"
Hitz Soul Episode: "The Godfather: Not the Movie"
City Guys Katisha Grant Episode: "The Date"
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine N'Garen Episode: "Sons and Daughters"
Sister, Sister Vanessa/Shawn Guest (season 4), Recurring cast (season 5)
1998 The Steve Harvey Show Naomi Parson Episode: "The He-Man, Player-Hater's Club"
1999 Clueless Lydia Episode: "Prom Misses, Prom Misses"
Grown Ups Felicia Episode: "Pilot"
The Wonderful World of Disney Gabrielle Episode: "H-E Double Hockey Sticks"
2000 ER Tamara Davis Episode: "Family Matters"
The Others Lindsay Episode: "Theta"
Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Lana Episode: "Too Much Pressure"
City of Angels Dr. Courtney Ellis Main cast (season 2)
2001 Friends Kristen Leigh Episode: "The One With The Cheap Wedding Dress"
2003 Pepsi Smash Herself/Host Episode #1.4
The Proud Family Sunny Stevens/Iesha (voice) Episode: "Hooray for Iesha"
2004 The West Wing Meeshel Anders Episode: "The Benign Prerogative"
Something the Lord Made Clara Thomas TV movie
2005 TV Land's Top Ten Herself Episode: "Sexiest Men"
Family Guy Shauna Parks (voice) Episode: "Peter's Got Woods"
2005–06 Night Stalker Perri Reed Main cast
2007 Football Wives Chardonnay Lane TV movie
2008 Ugly Betty Renee Slater Recurring cast (season 2)
2009 Life Detective Jane Seever Recurring cast (season 2)
Body Politic Jessica Sharp TV movie
2009–10 FlashForward Zoey Andata Recurring cast
2009–13 The BET Honors Herself/Host Main host
2010 Army Wives Gina Holt Episode: "Murder in Charleston"
2011 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Sandy Canyons Episode: "Tijuana, We've Got a Problem"
2013–19 Being Mary Jane Mary Jane Paul Main cast
2015 With This Ring Kitty TV movie
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar Nala (voice) TV movie
2016 Unsung Hollywood Herself Episode: "Meagan Good"
Family Feud Herself/Contestant Episode #18.51
2016–19 The Lion Guard Nala (voice) Recurring cast[144]
2019 America's Got Talent Herself/Judge Main judge (season 14)[145]
Gay of Thrones Herself Episode: "The Dong Night"
2019–20 L.A.'s Finest Special Agent Sydney "Syd" Burnett Main cast
2021 A Black Lady Sketch Show Herself Episode: "Sister, May I Call You Oshun?"
Live in Front of a Studio Audience Tootie Riley Episode: "Diff'rent Strokes & The Facts of Life"
2023 The Cube Herself Episode: "America, Do You Have What It Takes?"
Gabrielle Union: My Journey to 50 Herself Main guest
See It Loud: The History of Black Television Herself Recurring guest
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Talia (voice) Episode: "Puff Daddy"
Truth Be Told Eva Pierre Main cast (season 3)

2025 Reading Rainbow (2025 YouTube revival) (Reader)

|Episode: "More Than Peach by Bellen Woodard"

Music videos

[edit]
Year Title Artist Ref.
1998 "Baby You Are" Uncle Sam
1999 "Fifteen Minutes" Marc Nelson
2003 "Paradise" LL Cool J featuring Amerie [146]
2006 "I Love My Bitch" Busta Rhymes featuring will.i.am and Kelis [147]
2008 "Miss Independent" Ne-Yo [148]

Documentary

[edit]
Year Title
2012 Half the Sky

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Gabrielle Union

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Gabrielle Monique Union (born October 29, 1972) is an American actress recognized for breakthrough roles in films such as Bring It On (2000), where she portrayed cheerleader Isis, and (2003), as Sydney Burnett. She gained further prominence starring as the lead in the BET series (2013–2019), which explored themes of career ambition and personal relationships for a professional woman. Union has also pursued writing, publishing the We're Going to Need More Wine (2017), in which she recounted surviving a gunpoint at age 19 while working at a shoe store and navigating the end of her first marriage to NFL player Chris Howard (2001–2006), including her admission of . Union married NBA player Dwyane Wade in 2014, becoming stepmother to his three children from prior relationships and giving birth to their daughter Kaavia James via surrogate in 2018. Her tenure as a judge on America's Got Talent (2019) ended amid her complaints of a toxic workplace, including alleged racial insensitivity such as feedback that her hairstyles were "too Black" for the audience and tolerance of racist jokes, leading to a settlement with NBC after an investigation confirmed some broader cultural issues but not all specifics. These experiences, detailed in her writings and public statements, highlight her advocacy on trauma recovery and workplace equity, though critics have questioned the framing in media outlets prone to amplifying personal narratives over verified institutional accountability.

Early Life

Family and Upbringing

Gabrielle Monique Union was born on October 29, 1972, in , to Sylvester E. Union, a who later worked as a manager at , and Theresa (née Glass) Union, a manager at a phone company who also served as a social worker. The middle child of three daughters, Union grew up alongside her older sister Kelly and younger sister Sharon in a family rooted in 's established Black community, which included extended relatives from multiple generations. Her father's military service and subsequent career in often required travel, leaving much of the child-rearing to her mother during Union's early years in Omaha. In 1981, when Union was nine years old, the family relocated to —a predominantly white, affluent suburb in the Bay Area—following her father's job transfer to a local office. This move distanced the immediate family from their Omaha support network, placing them in a community where, as Union later reflected, their Black identity felt at odds with the surroundings, prompting adaptations in family presentation and daily life. The Unions maintained a middle-class sustained by both parents' professional roles in , instilling values of resilience and amid the challenges of relocation and cultural adjustment. Theresa Union, from a large Catholic herself, emphasized family unity and later adopted additional children after age 60, expanding the dynamics that influenced Union's sense of extended kinship.

Education and Early Aspirations

Union attended Foothill High School in , graduating in 1991, where she excelled as an athlete, participating in soccer, track, and as a year-round student-athlete and earning all-star recognition. Following high school, she enrolled at the for a semester, joining the women's soccer team, but returned to due to . She then attended before transferring to the (UCLA), where she graduated in 1996 with a degree in , earning honors. Prior to pursuing , Union's primary interests centered on athletics and academics rather than ; she did not initially aspire to a career in film or television but took on modeling gigs and an internship at the Judith Fontaine Modeling Agency while managing a heavy courseload of 20 units and a job at the UCLA bookstore to support herself. Her entry into began pragmatically in 1996, prompted by the need to repay university debts, leading to her first audition for a guest role on : The New Class, which she secured and later described as unexpectedly enjoyable. This shift marked a departure from her athletic and scholarly focus, though she completed her degree amid these early professional steps.

Traumatic Experiences

At age 19, during a summer break from the , Gabrielle Union was working the late shift at a Payless shoe store with a coworker when an armed intruder entered near closing time, demanded money, and forced her to a storage room where he raped her at gunpoint. Union resisted after the perpetrator briefly set down the weapon, prompting him to punch her before fleeing the scene. The incident occurred in the . The perpetrator committed a and another at a nearby store shortly afterward before turning himself in to authorities, ultimately receiving a 33-year prison sentence via . Union reported the assault to police and later sued Payless ShoeSource, alleging the company had knowledge of prior unreported at the location that contributed to inadequate security. In the immediate aftermath, she withdrew from her residence for approximately one year and sought counseling at a crisis center, where she joined a survivor support group. The experience prompted Union to transfer to the , to study , amid ongoing psychological effects including a of (PTSD) that she has described as persisting for over three decades. She first publicly detailed the assault in a 2009 testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advocating for reauthorization of the and support for rape crisis centers, and elaborated on it in her 2017 memoir We're Going to Need More Wine.

Career

Initial Roles and Breakthroughs (1990s–2000s)

Union began her acting career in the mid-1990s with minor guest roles on television sitcoms, including appearances on in 1993 and following her first audition for the series. Throughout the decade, she accumulated dozens of small parts across various TV shows, establishing a foundation in episodic television before transitioning to film. In the late , Union secured supporting roles in teen-oriented films, portraying Katie in (1999) and Chastity in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), both of which featured her in ensemble casts alongside emerging stars like Freddie Prinze Jr. and . These roles marked her entry into feature films, though they were limited in screen time and did not immediately elevate her profile significantly. Her breakthrough came in 2000 with the role of Isis, the rival cheerleading captain, in the comedy Bring It On, directed by and starring ; the film grossed over $90 million worldwide against a $10 million budget, highlighting Union's commanding presence in a culturally resonant depiction of competitive dynamics. This performance propelled her into leading supporting parts in subsequent projects, including Syd Burn in (2003), where she played the sister of Martin Lawrence's character in the action-comedy sequel that earned $426 million globally. Further solidifying her momentum, Union starred as Eva Dandrige in the romantic comedy (2003), a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's that showcased her comedic timing and received positive notices for her lead performance.

Television Prominence (2010s)

Union's entry into leading television roles occurred with the BET drama series Being Mary Jane, created by Mara Brock Akil, where she portrayed Mary Jane Paul, an ambitious cable news anchor grappling with career demands and personal relationships. The pilot episode aired as a preview on July 2, 2013, followed by the full first season premiere on January 7, 2014, with the series running through 2019 across five seasons and 52 episodes. The show's debut generated significant viewership for , attracting 3.6 million live viewers on premiere night and accumulating over 5 million total viewers including encores, establishing it as the network's highest-rated original scripted series launch at the time. Season two's premiere in February 2015 drew 3.6 million viewers despite a roughly 30% decline from the prior season's launch, while the season averaged 2.6 million weekly viewers overall, with 1.7 million in the adults 18-49 demographic. Union's performance earned her a 2014 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for the pilot, along with multiple subsequent nominations in the Outstanding Actress in a Series category through 2016 and beyond. The series received additional NAACP Image Award wins for the show itself in areas like outstanding series and writing. Prior to Being Mary Jane, Union's 2010s television work included guest appearances, such as in episodes of in 2010 and the Adult Swim parody NTSF:SD:SUV:: in 2011, but these did not elevate her profile to the same starring extent. Toward the decade's end, she co-starred in the action-crime series (2019–2020), a Bad Boys spin-off opposite , which premiered on May 13, 2019, on Originals before entering syndication.

Film and Production Work (2020s)

In 2022, Union starred as , the estranged mother of the protagonist, in Elegance Bratton's drama The Inspection, a semi-autobiographical about a young gay Black man's Marine Corps recruitment. That same year, she appeared in the Disney+ family comedy remake , portraying Zoey, one of the adult children in a blended navigating chaos. Union took the lead role of Jenna Matthews, a divorced fashion director entangled in an age-gap romance with her intern, in the 2023 Netflix romantic comedy The Perfect Find, adapted from Tia Williams's novel and directed by Numa Perrier; she also served as a producer through her company I'll Have Another Productions. In June 2022, Union had signed an overall production deal with BET Studios via I'll Have Another to develop and star in scripted content across film and television. In 2024, Union co-produced the romantic comedy The Idea of You, directed by Michael Showalter and starring Anne Hathaway as a single mother in a relationship with a younger pop star. She also acted in the crime thriller Riff Raff, playing a supporting role alongside Ed Harris and Bill Murray, and in the comedy Space Cadet, as part of the ensemble led by Emma Roberts. Upcoming projects include GOAT (scheduled for 2026) and The Casket Girls, a supernatural thriller in pre-production.

Authorship and Memoirs

Gabrielle Union published her debut , We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True, on October 17, 2017, through Dey Street Books. The book consists of essays recounting personal experiences, including her at age 19 in 1992, challenges in Hollywood, interracial relationships, and reflections on fame and family dynamics. It achieved New York Times bestseller status, receiving praise for its candid, humorous, and insightful exploration of vulnerability and resilience. In 2021, Union released the follow-up You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories on , also via Dey Street Books. This volume delves into her fertility struggles, including multiple failed pregnancies and , ongoing effects of past trauma, aging in the entertainment industry, grief, and joys of motherhood to her daughter Kaavia James Union Wade, born in 2018. Union frames the narrative as a continuation of personal growth through and , emphasizing moments of joy amid challenges. The book highlights her evolving perspectives on identity, friendship, and , maintaining the essay-style format of its predecessor. Beyond memoirs, Union has co-authored children's with husband , inspired by their daughter Kaavia, such as Shady Baby (2021), which promotes standing against and setting boundaries, and Shady Baby Feels: A First of (2022), focusing on emotional recognition. These works extend her authorship into family-oriented literature, drawing from observed behaviors in .

Business Ventures

Endorsements and Partnerships

Gabrielle Union entered the endorsement space in 2014 by becoming the inaugural celebrity ambassador for SensatioNail, an at-home gel nail polish brand owned by Pacific World Cosmetics, under a multi-year agreement that included national television advertisements starting that December. In 2019, Union partnered with apparel retailer as to launch the Gabrielle Union Collection, a line emphasizing accessible styles for women, which she promoted through campaigns and in-store activations. Union collaborated with Dove in May 2022 as part of the brand's #DetoxYourFeed initiative under the Self-Esteem Project, advocating for parents to guide children in curating feeds free from harmful beauty ideals, with promotional efforts involving her stepdaughter Zaya Wade. In March 2024, following Knix's acquisition by for $400 million in 2022, Union was appointed the intimates and period care brand's first global ambassador since the deal, starring in the "Knix for Life" campaign to normalize conversations around menstrual cycles, perimenopause, and incontinence through advertisements, events, and product endorsements.

Entrepreneurial Projects

Gabrielle Union has co-founded several consumer-focused brands emphasizing products tailored to diverse types, , and care for children of color. These ventures reflect her personal experiences as a and for inclusive and wellness solutions. In 2017, Union launched Flawless by Gabrielle Union, a haircare line developed in partnership with celebrity stylist Larry Sims and Beauty LLC, specifically targeting women with textured and natural . The brand initially offered products to address common challenges like breakage and moisture retention for curly and coily textures. Following an initial launch, Union relaunched Flawless in August 2020 with an expanded lineup of 12 texture-specific items, including shampoos, conditioners, and edge controls infused with ingredients like and acai oil. Products are distributed through retailers such as Sally Beauty, Amazon, and , with ongoing availability as of 2025. In March 2023, the brand announced a $75,000 grant initiative to support women-owned businesses, underscoring Union's commitment to economic empowerment within the beauty sector. Union co-founded Bitsy's in 2020 alongside entrepreneurs Maggie Patton and Alex Buckley, creating an organic snack food company focused on allergen-friendly, school-safe options for children. The brand offers items like cheddar blocks, fruit snacks, and hydration drinks with kid-approved flavors such as pink lemonade, emphasizing clean ingredients without artificial additives to promote healthier family eating. Bitsy's secured $1.34 million in funding from the Fearless Fund in September 2022, highlighting its growth potential in the clean food market. In 2022, Union co-founded Proudly with her husband Dwyane Wade, establishing a sustainable baby care brand formulated for the skincare needs of infants with melanated skin. Developed in collaboration with dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye, the line includes pH-balanced, tear-free washes, balms for cradle cap and eczema relief, and diapering essentials using gentle, fragrance-free ingredients like chamomile and lavender. Proudly earned Environmental Working Group (EWG) Verified status in August 2023 for its safety standards and expanded into kids' haircare products in September 2023, offering shampoos and conditioners for various curl patterns. In May 2025, the brand launched an exclusive baby apparel collection at JCPenney, further diversifying into clothing. Union's work with Proudly earned her Variety's inaugural Entrepreneur Impact Award in September 2025. Additionally, Union partnered with for The Gabrielle Union Collection, a line featuring inclusive apparel such as dresses, pants, and tops with vibrant, elegant designs. This venture complements her beauty and family-oriented projects by extending her influence into accessible .

Activism and Advocacy

Sexual Assault and #MeToo Involvement

In 1991, at the age of 19, Gabrielle Union was at gunpoint by an armed intruder while closing a Payless ShoeSource store as part of her summer job before her sophomore year at UCLA. The perpetrator, a stranger who robbed the store, was later identified as having a prior ; he another woman before surrendering to authorities and received a 33-year sentence via plea deal. Union sued Payless, alleging the company had employed the man previously after his first offense and failed to warn staff of the risk, securing a financial settlement. Union has described the assault's enduring psychological impact, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that resurfaced decades later, such as during the #MeToo movement in 2017 when widespread allegations against figures like Harvey Weinstein triggered her symptoms. She detailed these effects in her 2017 memoir We're Going to Need More Wine, recounting how the trauma manifested as an untreated "infection" affecting her relationships and mental health. During the 2017 #MeToo reckoning following Weinstein's exposure, Union publicly reaffirmed her survivor status via , emphasizing that she was assaulted while wearing a modest work uniform (khakis and a ), countering victim-blaming narratives about attire. She praised the movement's but critiqued its disproportionate to women's accounts, stating that "the floodgates have opened for women" while like herself had spoken out for years with less institutional response. Union advocated for broader accountability in Hollywood, expressing hope for a "day of reckoning" against predators, and in 2009 testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to raise awareness about sexual assault's impacts and support rape crisis centers.

Racial Equity and Hollywood Reform

Gabrielle Union has publicly critiqued Hollywood's systemic underrepresentation of Black talent, particularly women, advocating for structural reforms to address racial disparities in casting, pay, and creative control. In a 2014 interview, she linked broader racial injustices, such as those highlighted by the Ferguson protests, to the entertainment industry's lack of diversity, noting that studios often prioritize white narratives over authentic Black stories despite growing audience demand for inclusivity. By 2018, Union expanded this in a TIME , urging industry leaders to dismantle gatekeeping practices that exclude underrepresented groups, emphasizing that true reform requires elevating diverse voices in decision-making roles rather than tokenistic gestures. A core focus of her advocacy involves combating the racial pay gap, where Black actresses receive lower compensation than white counterparts for comparable work. Union detailed this in 2021, explaining how studios "low-ball" based on racial biases rather than performance or proven draw, citing her own negotiations where offers undervalued her contributions despite films like Bring It On (2000) grossing over $90 million domestically. She has pushed for pay transparency and equity audits, arguing in interviews that such measures would expose and correct entrenched undervaluation, as evidenced by data showing earning roughly 64 cents for every dollar white male actors make in similar roles. Union's production efforts further her reform agenda by prioritizing marginalized creators. Through her company, she has committed to deals that center Black and other minority-led projects, aiming to shift power dynamics from traditional studios to diverse storytellers. In 2021, she contributed the foreword to Supreme Actresses: Iconic Who Defied Hollywood, outlining persistent barriers like colorism and limited leading roles for darker-skinned , while calling for expanded opportunities beyond stereotypes. These initiatives align with her broader calls for accountability, including support from groups like Time's Up in highlighting discriminatory practices, though she maintains that lasting change demands empirical tracking of hiring and promotion metrics across studios.

LGBTQ+ Support

Gabrielle Union has publicly expressed support for her stepdaughter Zaya Wade, who came out as in February 2020 at age 12, emphasizing unconditional love and family acceptance as central to her parenting approach. Union stated that conversations with Zaya prompted her to reexamine personal beliefs, advising other parents of LGBTQ+ children to listen actively and prioritize their child's self-identification over preconceived notions. In a 2025 , Zaya credited Union with helping her "understand who I am," highlighting Union's role in fostering Zaya's confidence in her identity. Union and her husband have advocated for Black transgender rights, particularly at the 2023 , where they accepted an award for LGBTQ+ allyship and urged greater visibility and protection for Black trans individuals, dedicating the moment to Zaya. In the speech, Union stressed the intersection of racial and struggles, noting that Black trans people face compounded marginalization and calling for collective action to safeguard their lives. They reiterated this support by attending the Out100 Gala on December 11, 2024, where Zaya received a Groundbreaker award for her LGBTQ+ advocacy, with Union describing Zaya's work as focused on collective liberation beyond personal gain. Beyond family, Union has criticized corporate inaction on anti-LGBTQ+ policies, including Disney's delayed response to Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act (commonly called the "Don't Say Gay" bill) in March 2022, arguing that funding hate undermines anti-oppression stances. In October 2024, she warned that eroding trans rights during elections threatens broader , stating, "When we start denying one group's rights, you best believe yours are next." Union co-signed a February 2023 GLAAD letter accusing of biased transgender coverage that allegedly stigmatizes gender-affirming care, though the cited articles had reported on youth transition concerns based on medical data. In her role as Inez in the 2022 film , Union portrayed a mother rejecting her gay son, using the project to discuss societal homophobia and the need for toward LGBTQ+ experiences, drawing from real-world . Union has described Zaya's influence as extending her own , positioning family support as a model for unapologetic public affirmation amid criticism of her parenting choices.

Political Stances and Criticisms

Gabrielle Union has aligned herself with the Democratic Party, identifying as a liberal Democrat focused on and social issues. She supported Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign by hosting a rally in , on October 29, 2012, emphasizing among young people and women. In 2007, Union donated the maximum individual contribution of $2,300 to Democratic candidates and committees. She has advocated for expanded Pell Grants to support higher education access, criticizing Mitt Romney's 2012 "47 percent" remarks for potentially victimizing students reliant on federal aid. Union's policy positions include strong support for reproductive health services through , which she defended in 2011 for providing cancer screenings, STI testing, and contraception alongside abortion services. Appointed to the National Advisory Committee on under the Obama administration, she condemned Republican congressman Todd Akin's 2012 "legitimate rape" comments, arguing they dismissed survivors' experiences as invalid. On LGBTQ+ matters, Union has backed since at least 2011 and, in October 2024, stressed trans rights during the U.S. , warning that "when we start denying one group's rights, you best believe ." Union has repeatedly criticized Donald Trump, describing his 2017 tweets praising China for detaining UCLA basketball players as failing to thank those opposing racism and slamming his 2018 "shithole countries" remark as reflective of derogatory attitudes. In 2024, she questioned Trump's agenda for women with a dismissive two-word response and reposted content endorsing Joe Biden's support for Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Following Trump's November 2024 election victory, Union deactivated her X account (formerly Twitter), stating it no longer served her needs, a move that drew online criticism from users labeling it dramatic and an overreaction to electoral outcomes. Her political advocacy has faced pushback from conservative figures, including pundit , who in 2023 accused Union and her husband of inconsistent activism by not residing in predominantly Black neighborhoods despite promoting racial equity. Online trolls and right-leaning commentators have also critiqued her emphasis on identity-based issues, such as trans rights and corporate responses to anti-LGBTQ legislation, as prioritizing fringe concerns over broader economic or security priorities, though Union has dismissed such views as threats to collective rights. These criticisms often highlight perceived Hollywood elitism in her partisan endorsements and exits, contrasting with her calls for like voting drives.

Personal Life

Relationships and Marriage to Dwyane Wade

Gabrielle Union was previously married to player Chris Howard from May 5, 2001, to October 2006, with the union marred by mutual ; Union later reflected in interviews that she felt "entitled" to cheat due to Howard's own affairs, contributing to the . Following the divorce, she briefly dated player Darren Sharper in 2006. Union first met NBA player in February 2007 while co-hosting a party in , though both were in other relationships at the time—Union post-divorce and Wade still married to Siohvaughn Funches. They began dating in late 2009 after Wade's separation from Funches, going public with their romance in 2010. The relationship faced strains, including a brief split in early 2013 amid Wade's ongoing divorce and custody disputes over his children with Funches. During this period, Wade fathered a son, Xavier Zechariah Wade, born November 10, 2013, with Aja Metoyer; Wade described informing Union about the pregnancy as "scary," but they reconciled shortly after. The couple announced their engagement on December 21, 2013, and married on August 30, 2014, in an intimate ceremony at Chateau Arthus in , , attended by family and close friends, with performing at the reception. Union became stepmother to Wade's three sons: Zaire, born February 4, 2002, and Zaya, born May 29, 2007, from his marriage to Funches (with Wade gaining full custody of Zaire and Zaya in following a contentious legal battle), and Xavier from Metoyer. On November 7, 2018, Union and Wade welcomed their daughter, Kaavia James Union Wade, via after Union experienced multiple losses. The couple has publicly emphasized open communication and therapy as keys to navigating blended family dynamics and past challenges, marking their 10th anniversary in 2024 with family celebrations.

Family and Parenting Challenges

Gabrielle Union has described significant emotional and relational adjustments upon becoming a stepmother to Dwyane Wade's sons, Zaire (born 2002) and Zion (born 2007, later known as Zaya after transitioning), following their marriage on May 30, 2014. In a 2023 interview, Union admitted she "didn't know what to do" initially, requiring time to learn each child's needs and integrate slowly into the blended family dynamic while being mindful not to overwhelm them. She has emphasized avoiding the label "stepparent," opting instead for direct parental involvement, and managing the family's social media to shield the children from external pressures. Union's path to biological motherhood was marked by prolonged infertility struggles, including at least eight miscarriages and failed IVF attempts, which she detailed in her 2021 memoir You Got Anything Stronger?. These losses, occurring primarily in the first trimester, compounded her , with Union recounting a visceral sense of each as a potential , only to face repeated disappointment. Her initial reluctance to have children shifted after bonding with Wade's sons, but the physical toll led to perceptions of bodily failure and public scrutiny during attempts to conceive. The couple welcomed daughter Kaavia James via on November 7, 2018, a process Union later characterized as evoking profound grief rather than unmitigated joy, likening the moment of the surrogate's confirmation to a "choke stopped up in my throat" amid tears. She has framed as a form of "," highlighting the emotional dissonance of after years of personal failed efforts. This was further complicated by Wade fathering a son, Xavier, with another woman in during their relationship, an event Union processed as deeply fracturing, taking over a year to reconcile emotionally while navigating family expansion. Parenting challenges persisted into later years, with Union expressing conflicts over work-life balance, particularly with older stepchildren like Zaire and nephew Dahveon Morris (under their guardianship since around ), whose adolescent needs demanded more presence than she could consistently provide. In 2025, as Zaya prepared for college, Union conveyed mixed feelings of fear and excitement, underscoring the ongoing transitions in their non-traditional blended family of five children. Despite these hurdles, Union has advocated for the resilience of such families, crediting later-in-life motherhood—Kaavia's arrival when Union was 46—as ultimately "worth it" after initial step-parenting ignited her maternal instincts.

Health Struggles and Resilience

Union has publicly detailed her prolonged challenges, including eight or nine miscarriages over several years, which she attributed to undiagnosed —a condition where endometrial tissue invades the uterine wall, causing severe pain and reproductive complications. In her 2017 We're Going to Need More Wine, she described undergoing multiple rounds of fertilization (IVF) without success, feeling her body was "a prisoner of trying to get pregnant," with initial medical attributions to age or career stress delaying accurate diagnosis. The diagnosis came after approximately 25 years of symptoms, highlighting systemic delays in recognizing the condition, particularly in women pursuing fertility treatments. Compounding these issues, Union experienced early-onset perimenopause beginning around age 37, marked by symptoms such as significant , hot flashes, mood instability, anxiety, and of 27 pounds. She has linked the partly to hormonal shifts but also to from prolonged use of tight hairstyles and extensions required in her acting career. These changes led to profound emotional distress, including feelings of being "defective" and "less of a ," as well as a severe episode of following a minor argument with her husband, which she later attributed to perimenopausal hormonal fluctuations exacerbating vulnerabilities. Demonstrating resilience, Union pursued to welcome daughter Kaavia James in November 2018, integrating her stepchildren and expanding her family despite setbacks, including her husband's extramarital conception during their struggles. She adapted her lifestyle by increasing water intake, incorporating more nutrient-dense foods, and launching the Flawless line in 2020 to address texture-damaging practices and promote scalp health. Through memoirs, interviews, and advocacy—such as destigmatizing discussions on platforms like in 2023—Union has emphasized open dialogue to counter medical and encourage early intervention, continuing her professional output amid these personal trials.

Controversies

America's Got Talent Exit

Gabrielle Union was appointed as a judge on for its fourteenth season, which aired from May 28 to September 17, 2019, marking her debut in the role alongside returning judges , , and , as well as new co-judge . On November 24, 2019, NBC announced that neither Union nor Hough would return for season 15, with the network citing a desire to "refresh" the panel but providing no further initial explanation. Subsequent reporting detailed Union's complaints about a toxic on-set environment, including racially insensitive incidents such as a contestant's performance, which she urged producers to report to , and repeated notes from executives that her hairstyles were "too " for the show's audience. Additional concerns involved pervasive "racist jokes," excessive feedback on the female judges' physical appearances, and Cowell's indoor smoking, which Union, an sufferer, flagged as a health hazard after becoming ill for two months. Sources close to the production indicated Union was terminated shortly after raising these issues, though insiders countered that her critiques were not the basis for non-renewal. In response to the allegations, NBC launched an external investigation in December 2019, which concluded in May 2020 that Union's workplace concerns, including those related to and a hostile environment, had "no bearing" on the decision not to invite her back. Union publicly disputed this finding, stating in a June 2020 interview that failed to support her after she reported racially offensive conduct and that the process left her feeling isolated. Despite the investigation's outcome, Union filed a discrimination complaint, leading to an "amicable resolution" and settlement with in September 2020, the terms of which were not disclosed. The controversy drew criticism from celebrities and advocates who viewed Union's exit as retaliation for advocating against workplace toxicity, while emphasized procedural reviews and changes, such as banning smoking on set. Union later reflected that the experience reinforced her commitment to equity in , though she avoided specifics on regretting her tenure.

Public Statements on Family and Finances

In May 2023, Gabrielle Union stated in an interview that she and her husband, retired NBA player , divide all household expenses and finances on a strict 50/50 basis, including bills and other family-related costs. This revelation, shared during a discussion on Bloomberg about her career and , sparked widespread and on platforms, with detractors arguing the arrangement undermined traditional marital roles, particularly given Wade's substantially higher earnings from his professional career and endorsements, estimated at over $200 million in net worth at the time. Union defended the policy as essential for maintaining equality and independence in their blended family, which includes Wade's children from prior relationships and their daughter born via in 2018, but acknowledged her own "scarcity mindset" rooted in past financial insecurities. Wade subsequently clarified in June 2023 that the 50/50 split originated from a heated argument early in their marriage at their previous home, framing it as a practical solution rather than an ideological stance, though he emphasized mutual support in family decisions like raising their children. The public discourse highlighted tensions over financial equity in high-profile unions, with some commentators questioning whether such transparency burdened family privacy amid ongoing parenting responsibilities, including support for Wade's daughter Zaya's needs. By March 2025, Union revisited the topic on a , describing the ensuing backlash as "wild" and "aggressive," particularly from online critics who she perceived as projecting personal resentments onto her family dynamics. She disclosed that the couple had discontinued the rigid 50/50 arrangement, attributing her prior insistence to unresolved trauma from earlier life experiences, such as during her first marriage and career struggles, which fostered a fear of dependency. Union elaborated that evolving toward greater vulnerability has allowed for more flexible family resource allocation, especially as they navigate costs associated with parenting multiple children, including medical and educational expenses. Union has also made candid remarks linking finances to past family choices, stating in September 2025 that she felt no guilt over an extramarital affair during her first to Chris Howard because she covered all household bills, positioning financial contribution as a determinant of relational . This comment drew further scrutiny for appearing to rationalize through economic leverage, contrasting with her later emphasis on equitable partnerships in her current family structure. Despite the controversies, Union has maintained that open discussions on these topics promote realism about the fiscal realities of family life, including high costs for , therapy, and child advocacy.

Backlash Over Activism and Lifestyle

Union and her husband faced widespread online criticism following the public announcement of their stepdaughter Zaya Wade's identity in February 2020, when Zaya was 12 years old. Detractors, including public jeers at events and comments, accused the couple of enabling irreversible decisions for and prioritizing celebrity visibility over parental caution, with some labeling the support as "mutilation" of their child. Union responded by defending the stance as "" parenting rooted in , dismissing critics as setting a "damn floor" bar for familial acceptance. The family relocated from in 2021, citing state legislation restricting gender-related medical interventions for minors under 18 as incompatible with Zaya's needs. A 2020 social media post of Zaya's 10th birthday party, featuring her in feminine attire, amplified the backlash, leading Union to state that Zaya felt prematurely "outed" amid transphobic responses questioning the appropriateness of early public affirmation. Zaya herself later referenced blocking "hateful comments" online, a coping mechanism Union attributed to the intensity of public scrutiny on youth transitions. Critics, including Wade's ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, objected to the pace of changes like name and pronoun shifts, arguing they bypassed biological parental input and risked long-term psychological harm, though Funches' custody challenges were denied by courts. Union's advocacy for equitable household finances also drew sharp rebukes. In May 2023, she disclosed splitting expenses 50/50 with Wade, a practice stemming from her 2006 divorce where she lost significant assets, but which ignited "wild and aggressive" online backlash for challenging conventional marital roles and perceived of Wade. By March 2025, Union reconsidered the arrangement as a "trauma response" fostering , opting instead for greater financial interdependence to build vulnerability in the relationship. Public reactions to the couple's 2018 surrogacy for daughter Kaavia James included accusations of inauthenticity, intensified by a hospital photo Union shared post-birth, which some viewed as performative amid prior infertility disclosures. Union described the criticism as "hurtful," linking it to societal discomfort with non-traditional paths to parenthood. These episodes reflect broader tensions between Union's progressive stances on family autonomy and critics' preferences for conventional norms, with sources varying in framing the dissent as bigotry versus legitimate concern over child welfare and relational dynamics.

Reception and Legacy

Awards and Nominations

Gabrielle Union has garnered 9 awards and 35 nominations across her acting career, with recognition primarily from organizations honoring Black contributions to film and television, such as the and . Her wins highlight standout performances in supporting and lead roles in both comedy and drama. Notable wins include:
  • Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress (Theatrical) for Bring It On (2000), awarded in 2001.
  • NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for (2003), awarded in 2004.
  • Best Actress at the Palm Beach International for (2005), awarded in 2006.
  • NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for (2013), awarded in 2014.
  • NAACP Image Award President's Award (shared with ) for philanthropic efforts and advocacy, awarded at the 54th ceremony in 2023.
Union's nominations span multiple categories, including several BET Awards for Best Actress—for Being Mary Jane in 2015 and 2016, and The Birth of a Nation in 2017—none of which resulted in wins. She also received Black Reel Award nominations for Best Actress in Deliver Us from Eva (2004) and other supporting roles, as well as a Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice Movie Actress - Comedy for Bring It On (2003). Additional nods came from the of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films and , reflecting her range in genre and independent projects.

Critical Evaluations and Cultural Impact

Gabrielle Union's acting performances have elicited mixed critical responses, with reviewers frequently commending her on-screen charisma and presence in ensemble casts while noting limitations in dramatic depth for lead roles. In films such as (2003), critics highlighted her as a standout in supporting parts, praising her "fiery energy" amid action-heavy narratives, though the movie itself received middling reviews for its formulaic plot. Her portrayal of in Bring It On (2000) was later self-critiqued by Union herself as underdeveloped, reflecting broader commentary on early career roles that prioritized marketability over complexity. A 2014 analysis described her trajectory as one of "not-quite stardom," attributing persistent in girlfriend or roles to industry dynamics favoring established leads over emerging black actresses, despite her consistent box-office draw in urban comedies like (2012), which earned $96 million domestically. More recent dramatic turns have yielded stronger acclaim, particularly her role as Inez in (2022), where she played a homophobic mother, earning praise for conveying "raw emotional turmoil" in a film that secured an 86% approval rating on from critics who lauded the ensemble's authenticity. Union noted personal challenges in embodying the character, viewing such figures through a lens of disdain, yet the performance marked a shift toward roles allowing beyond rom-com tropes. Television work, including (2013–2019), drew viewer loyalty for depicting professional black women's ambitions but faced critique for melodramatic scripting that occasionally undermined character arcs. Union's cultural impact centers on amplifying discussions of representation for in Hollywood, where she has advocated for equitable pay and diverse casting, citing systemic underpayment for actresses of color in projects like major franchises. Through memoirs such as We're Going to Need More Wine (), she influenced public conversations on , interracial relationships, and career-family tensions, fostering visibility for non-traditional narratives among professional women. Her essays and interviews have spotlighted and exclusion, pushing for inclusion in high-profile events and roles, though some observers argue her aligns with prevailing industry narratives that prioritize identity over merit-based advancement. Overall, Union's career has contributed to gradual shifts in portraying resilient black female leads, evidenced by her involvement in films grossing over $500 million collectively, yet critiques persist that her influence remains confined to commercial rather than auteur-driven cinema.

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  154. https://www.facebook.com/MadChillTV/posts/gabrielle-union-admits-she-didnt-feel-guilty-about-cheating-on-her-first-husband/1358004659662658/
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  157. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nba/article-12035127/Dwayne-Wade-Gabrielle-Union-receive-transphobic-jeers-daughter-Zaya-leave-MSG.html
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  167. https://www.bet.com/article/z76y8m/gabrielle-union-received-backlash-over-this-hospital-pic
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  169. https://www.quora.com/Do-black-people-think-that-Dwyane-Wade-is-a-bad-representation-of-a-black-father-letting-his-son-transition-to-a-girl
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  174. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIf_bUryJdg
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  179. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdxR5ffFGzw
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