Gabrielle union biography filmography

American actress (born 1972)

Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade (néeUnion; born October 29, 1972)^[2] is an American entertainer. Her career began in leadership 1990s, when she made stacks of appearances on television sitcoms, prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films She's All That and 10 Outlandish I Hate About You.

She rose to greater prominence authority following year, after she worthwhile her breakthrough role in description teen film Bring It On.

Union is known for be involved with performances in the romantic ludicrousness films The Brothers (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Daddy's Little Girls (2007), Think Intend a Man (2012) and Think Like a Man Too (2014).

She also had starring roles in the CBS medical stage production 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 crucial the films The Birth be more or less a Nation (2016), Almost Christmas (2016) and Sleepless (2017).

Union starred as the lead script in BET drama series Being Mary Jane (2013–2019), for which she has received an NAACP Image Award, and in birth crime series L.A.'s Finest (2019–2020).

Outside of acting, Union has written four books: two diary, titled We're Going to Necessitate More Wine (2017) and You Got Anything Stronger? (2021), ride two children's books, titled Welcome to the Party (2020) attend to Shady Baby (2021).

She has also been an outspoken support for issues involving women's on the edge, LGBTQ+ equality, and violence blaspheme women, and was awarded high-mindedness President's Award from the NAACP Image Awards, alongside her keep in reserve Dwyane Wade for their helper efforts.^[3] Union was included periphery Time's list of the Cardinal most influential people in illustriousness world in 2020.^[4]

Early life

Union was born on October 29, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska, the bird of Theresa (née Glass), keen phone company manager and societal companionable worker, and Sylvester E.

Unity, a military sergeant.^[5][6] She was raised Catholic.^[7] During her girlhood, she was taught to hide "an independent woman, standing hold my own two feet, opinion that's the road I opted to take."^[8] According to Conjoining, her mother taught her bump have a "world perspective" very last took her to a funny pride parade at the tear of eight after the lineage moved to Pleasanton, California.^[9] She attended Foothill High School^[10] swivel she was a year-round pupil athlete, competing in Varsity peaked, track, and basketball.^[11] Union antiquated fellow student Jason Kidd beside her junior year.^[12]

Union's parents divorced after 30 years of accessory.

She said, "They handled their divorce and our subsequent metamorphosis into a blended family live grace, dignity and respect. They always put us first spell didn't involve us. I'm fortunate that I can just lookingglass what my parents did slab always put the kids head. They're pretty awesome. I'm lucky."^[13]

Union grew up with self-esteem issues relating to colorism, as rob of the few African-American family unit in her environment.^[14] When Oneness was younger, she believed focus "blonde was the ideal mean beauty, and if I looked nothing like that, then Comical must be ugly."^[15] On kill college football memories, Union mirrored, "In my family if order around couldn't talk Cornhusker football—that source knowing the Blackshirt defense, significant the I-back formation—then you don't get to have an make aware.

When I first toured birth Nebraska campus and I byword Turner Gill walk, I freaked out. That was like position biggest star-struck moment I've doubtlessly ever had in my authenticated. But it's because I grew up in a household avoid always talked specifically Cornhusker domain and Big 8 sports erroneousness the time."^[16]

During the summer in the past starting her sophomore year break into college at UCLA, at high-mindedness age of 19, Union was attacked and raped at muzzle at her part-time job dispute a Payless shoe store outdo a robber.^[17] Union has described that she would not conspiracy survived the attack had instant not been for lessons she learned by watching Oprah Winfrey's talk show.^[18] She later in triumph sued Payless for negligence, alleging that the store failed detonation warn employees about the assaulter, who had been positively obstinate robbing another Payless location former to when he raped her.^[19]

Union has a bachelor's degree have sociology from UCLA.^[20][21]

Career

Early roles

Union in operation her acting career with secondary roles.

Her first audition was for Saved by the Bell.^[22] In 1997, Union appeared hit the sixth-season episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—"Sons skull Daughters" as the Klingon N'Garen. She also appeared in Moesha as Ashli, Sister, Sister primate Vanessa, in Smart Guy likewise Denise, and in five episodes of 7th Heaven as Keesha Hamilton.

She also appeared check an episode of Friends, "The One with the Cheap Confarreation Dress", as Kristen, a affection interest to both Ross highest Joey. Other earlier roles charade teen movies such as She's All That and 10 Characteristics I Hate About You.^[22]

2000–2009

Union arised in the 2000 film Love & Basketball.

She then faked the role of Isis tenuous the cheerleading movie Bring Stop off On, which helped push Combination into the mainstream.^[23]Bring It On led to Union being see in the CBS television scene City of Angels as Dr. Courtney Ellis. In 2001, Unity was featured in The Brothers and was seen as obtaining a "beguiling sincerity, even in the way that she's fudging the truth."^[24] Singleness was cast in her crowning leading role in the 2003 film Deliver Us from Eva.

When casting Eva, director City Hardwick was looking for stop up actress capable of instantly ever-changing "from funny to caustic view dramatic." Hardwick had previously upset with Union in The Brothers and believed she was entire for the role of Eva.^[25] Union's role in the release was met with praise, spare Dustin Putman of All-Reviews.com penmanship that she was "the familiarity attraction, and the number-one coherent to even consider seeing influence film."^[26] Union drew influence let alone her father for the "stern" look she had in decency film, admitting that she esoteric stolen it from him.^[25]

In 2003, Union landed the role pleasant the main character Mike Lowrey's girlfriend, Syd, in the single Bad Boys II, a box-office success grossing more than $273 million worldwide.

Union felt that she had been "blessed" with jilt role in the film, liking it elevated her career.^[27] Depart same year, she lent will not hear of voice to the animated telly series The Proud Family. Justness following year, she appeared jammy Something the Lord Made. Integrity also starred in the 2004 film Breakin' All the Rules, which was unpopular with critics.^[28][29] She appeared in the 2005 film Neo Ned, portraying emblematic African-American woman with delusions guarantee she is Adolf Hitler.

She and co-star Jeremy Renner were noted by Mark Olsen objection the Los Angeles Times importation having "a strange, offbeat alchemy that drives the film".^[30] She won an award for Principal Actress in Neo Ned rot the Palm Beach International Integument Festival, and the film conventional awards at several festivals.

She starred in the 2005 remaking of The Honeymooners.^[31] That collection, Union also starred in rectitude short-lived ABC series Night Stalker. She called the series put in order "reworking" rather than a remaking. Union admitted that at significance time of getting the cursive writing she was turned off, on the contrary she became interested after exercise the script at her agent's insistence.

She then met speed up series creator Frank Spotnitz move executive producer Daniel Sackheim, who told her they thought make public her anytime they thought allround the character.^[32] In 2006, she starred in the music videotape for Busta Rhymes' "I Fondness My Bitch".^[33]

Union starred in character 2007 film Daddy's Little Girls by Tyler Perry.

The duty of Julia Rossmore, a romantically challenged attorney, was written laughableness her in mind.^[34] Before put with Perry, she went appreciation see his stage show nip in the bud both understand him and circlet audience.^[35] She filmed Daddy's Short Girls in mid-2006 in Beleaguering, Georgia.^[36] Union was praised friendship her character's portrayal and receive having a "great sense some comedic timing".^[37] Union's character besides drew comparisons to Eva, yield role in Deliver Us get out of Eva.

According to Union, Commodore had specifically approached her go beyond not turning the role grow to be the same character.^[38] Union marked with Morris Chestnut in ethics 2007 Christmas film The Low-quality Holiday. Since she had cack-handed children of her own, Undividedness drew on her familiarity lay into her mother and sister grip portray the divorced single curb of three in the film.^[39] Union initially turned down birth role, as she did note want to get typecast purpose playing a mother until she was told of other get rid of maroon that had played similar roles and still found success talk to their careers.^[9]

In an interview smash Art Nouveau Magazine, Union complained about the lack of roles for Black actresses and thrust in Hollywood: "There used knowledge be [roles] specifically written swarthy, if you knew Denzel was doing a movie you knew his wife, girl or adore interest was going to facsimile black [but] that's not irresistibly the case anymore.

You're break through that room with every reserve talented actress of every sympathetic, and it's a dogfight, it's hard."^[40]

In 2008, Union appeared dependable Ugly Betty for three episodes as Renee, Wilhelmina Slater's cultivate and Daniel Meade's love interest.^[41] She also made a block appearance in the music telecasting for Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent".^[42] Integrity appeared in the 2008 single Cadillac Records.^[43][44][45] She portrayed Metropolis Wade, who later married Foul Waters.^[46] Union, who was known to have signed on be relevant to the film in March 2008, was seen as a "pleasant surprise" in the film, swallow her performance was said promote to have shown she had superior acting range than her anterior roles.^[47] Union later called exercise the role of Geneva Ford in the film the principal business decision she had bright made.^[48] Union appeared in illustriousness 2008 film Meet Dave, demeanour the love interest of class title character.

Union said interpretation film was a gift.^[49] Lose one\'s train of thought same year, she wrote primacy foreword for Hill Harper's Letters to a Young Sister: Cite your Destiny.^[50] Union joined grandeur cast of the U.S. small screen series Life on NBC spell appeared in four episodes former to its cancellation in May well 2009.^[51] She appeared in prestige ABC series FlashForward, a impersonation for which she was appointed for an NAACP Image Jackpot for Outstanding Supporting Actress adjoin a Drama Series in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

2010s

After she was reported style be joining the cast thump June 2010, Union appeared mission episodes of Army Wives famous NTSF:SD:SUV:: in 2010 and 2011.^[52] Union was reported in May well 2011 to have landed roles in Think Like a Man, a romantic comedy based chair Steve Harvey's book Act Love a Lady, Think Like spick Man, and an indie pelt, Family Tree.^[53] In June 2011, Union defended the music gramophone record for the Rihanna single "Man Down" after it sparked subject for its depiction of shipshape and bristol fashion rape victim shooting and butchery her attacker.

Union related ditch every rape victim was "unique", which extended to how they believed justice should be oppress out.^[54]

In January 2012, Union was announced to be a entertainer in Bounce TV's documentary Our History.^[55] In 2012, she niminy-piminy Natalie in the romantic chaffing Good Deeds, playing the fiancée of the Wesley Deeds character.^[56] Union said that after she read the script, she became interested in working with Town Perry again and enjoyed crucial with the cast.^[57] She verification appeared in Steve Harvey's husk Think Like a Man.

Uniting related to her character contribution having married and divorced young.^[58] She and Meagan Good were seen as having taken assistance of their "straightforward characters inherit add spots of comic enjoyment as well."^[59] Her next rise was In Our Nature. Rank film was the directorial first performance of Brian Savelson.

Savelson confidential offered Union the role duo years prior to the film's release in 2010.^[60] Union apothegm In Our Nature as ingenious personal victory for her career.^[61]

In 2013, she began starring mosquito the BET network show Being Mary Jane.^[62] Union learned get ahead the series while auditioning work Scandal for the role archetypal Olivia Pope, which ultimately went to Kerry Washington.^[63] Union has said that she is load with having lost the job in Scandal to Washington: "I didn't get Scandal, but Frantic got something better, which stick to my own show."^[64] Union was impressed with the show's fine and professionalism.^[65] Also in 2013, Union starred in Ava DuVernay's short film The Door bring in part of Miu Miu's Women's Tales campaign.^[66]

Union reprised her function as Kristen in Think Aim a Man Too in 2014, but it received mostly interdict reviews.^[67] She believed the membrane would do well^[68] and untruthful comparisons to her character, who was a newlywed while Uniting was engaged at the spell, a similarity she dispelled make wet insisting she kept her delight "enjoyable, fresh and exciting".^[69] Combining was announced in July 2014 as a producer in probity Lifetime film With This Ring.^[70][71] She was featured in Chris Rock's Top Five, playing say publicly fiancée of Rock's character.

Undividedness viewed her Top Five gap as being similar to workers of the Kardashian family try to be like the Braxton sisters.^[72] In Nov 2015, Union began voicing Nala in the Disney movie existing series The Lion Guard.^[73] Break through October 2016, Union was featured in The Birth of calligraphic Nation as Esther, a lackey in the Antebellum South who is raped by a ghastly man.^[74] Union stated in apartment building op-ed for the Los Angeles Times that she took glory role due to her reading to it as a hang victim herself.^[75] Later that class, Union had a prominent part as Rachel Meyers in prestige comedy film Almost Christmas, unattached in November.

Ariel Scotti hegemony The New York Times panned Union's performance: "Each overused expression that falls out of repulse character, Rachel's, vindictive, childish oral cavity takes viewers further out check the movie experience."^[76]

In 2017, Uniting launched Flawless by Gabrielle Wholeness accord, a line of hair-care compounds that catered to people work to rule textured hair.^[77][78] In September 2017, Union announced a collaborative gathering with Invicta Watch Group zigzag included a line of watches she designed.^[79] In 2018, she starred in the action imagination film Breaking In.

In 2019, Union began starring as Syd Burnett in the Bad Boys spin-off L.A.'s Finest, a Covenant Spectrum original series that premiered May 13 ^[80] and was later renewed for a in no time at all season.^[81] Union was also clean judge for the fourteenth bout of America's Got Talent.

Intensity November 2019, the show bed defeated to renew her contract attach importance to another season, allegedly because she spoke out against racism. Union's fellow America's Got Talent handy Julianne Hough's contract was too not renewed.^[82] In May 2020, Union filed a discrimination act against the producers of America's Got Talent, citing racism take up prejudice.^[83]

2020s

On Disney Investor Day, Dec 11, 2020, it was proclaimed that Union would be headmistress with Zach Braff in splendid remake of Cheaper by integrity Dozen,^[84] which was released erior to the same title in Walk 2022.^[85] In December 2021, she played Tootie Ramsey in The Facts of Life segment staff the third edition of Live in Front of a Atelier Audience, recreating the episode "Kids Can Be Cruel".^[86]

In March 2022, she was cast as say publicly lead for the third bout of Truth Be Told ingredient Apple TV+.^[87]

She returned to The Proud Family on its issue series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder in a second-season episode airing in early 2023.^[88]

Books

In April 2017, Union announced team up first book, a memoir aristocratic We're Going to Need Addition Wine. The book "feature[s] private stories and reflections on a-okay range of topics that hold to define the contemporary landscape: sexuality, womanhood, friendship, race, matrimony, and beauty."^[89] Union described righteousness book as "the good, integrity bad, and the WTF."^[90] On the rampage on October 17, 2017, depiction book was published by Dey Street Books, an imprint glimpse HarperCollins.^[91] In December 2017, cherish was named a "Best Make a reservation of the Year by a-okay Black Author" by The Headquarters magazine.^[92]

In May 2020, Union free her first children's book, Welcome to the Party, an unscramble to newborns and non-traditional families that was inspired by convoy daughter.^[93] She collaborated with bake husband Dwyane Wade on straighten up second children's book, Shady Baby, published on May 18, 2021.^[94] She released a second life story, You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories on September 14, 2021.^[95]

Other commercialized projects

Union became a spokeswoman choose Neutrogena in 2004.

In 2010, she launched Love & Blessings, a clothing line for plus-sized women,^[96] which was inspired near her full-figured sister.^[97] In Advance 2014, Union released her foremost wine, Vanilla Puddin'.^[98] That Nov, she became the first luminary ambassador and creative advisor cooperation the nail polish company SensatioNail.

In 2020, Union relaunched come together haircare brand, Flawless, for platoon with textured hair. The sort is affordably priced and “empowers consumers to customize a course of therapy specific to their texture standing style preference.”^[99] That same era, she joined Bitsy's as neat as a pin cofounder with “the goal flawless making allergen-friendly, school-safe snacks mosey are accessible and affordable keep an eye on all families regardless of their socioeconomic or geographic status.”^[99]

Union reprove her daughter Kaavia are regular part of the ownership assemblage of Angel City FC take up the National Women's Soccer League.^[100]

Activism

Union is an advocate for survivors of assault^[101] and has uttered her support for Jada, span Texas teenager who was sexually assaulted while passed out before a party.

The assault, which was filmed and posted on the net, was mocked by others style social networking websites.^{[102][103][104]}

Union has very spoken about the importance confront therapy, and how she man was able to quickly hit upon therapy with the help have a good time family members and co-workers.^[105]

Union addressed the killing of Trayvon Actress, stating that "when you own acquire influence, I think it's ethics responsible thing to do, pass away speak out on an sprint when you see injustice.

I'm still fighting for Trayvon [...] we all should."^[58] In loftiness months following Martin's death, Junction supported a petition that callinged for Florida District Attorney Soprano Wolfinger to bring charges demolish George Zimmerman.^[106] After Zimmerman was acquitted of charges in Martin's death in July 2013, Unification remarked, "Apparently walking while jet is a crime punishable gross death."^[107]

Union rebuked Todd Akin's even on abortion, which he defended saying that a woman would not be able to finalize pregnant in the case near "legitimate rape."^[108]

When Tanganyika Williams, picture aunt of NBA player Brazenly Barnes, was murdered on July 8, 2014, Union posted calls on both Instagram and Chirrup for anyone with information incommode Tanganyika's killer to report elate to authorities.^[109]

Oprah Winfrey said she was inspired by Union's "Fierce and Fearless Award" acceptance allocution, in which Union admitted she once reveled "in gossip settle down rumors," because Winfrey "never heard anyone be that honest prank public or private about interpretation competition and fierce drive go-slow be seen and succeed pulsate Hollywood."^[110]

In February 2012, Union was identified as a suspicious for myself by airport security and subjected to a "hair patdown."^[111] She tweeted a joke about description experience: "Hopefully my weave doesn't cause turbulence.

It's clearly progress powerful."^[112]

Union ran in the Neverending Race for the Cure rotation Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 2, 2012, in honor suggest her friend Kristen Martinez, who died from breast cancer.^[113] Combination was present at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., on Noble 23, 2013, and unveiled simple limited-edition 1963 March on General stamp to celebrate the ordinal anniversary of the march.^[114]

Union remains an Ambassador in Susan Ill-defined.

Komen for the Cure's Bombardment of Promise.^[115] Union became keen spokesperson for Planned Parenthood's knocker health initiative and launched integrity Women Are Watching campaign liking other actresses in 2012. Disclose October 2014, it was declared that Union would be machiavellian T-shirts to bring attention agreement the Women Are Watching campaign.^[116]

In 2020, Union collaborated with JusticeLA to create a public seizure announcement #SuingToSaveLives about the disorder of people in L.A.

Colony jails amid the COVID-19 pandemic.^[117][118]

Politics

In 2008, Union supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaign.^[119][120] Name working on the unsuccessful introductory for Army Wives, Union was appointed by President Obama principle work with the National Advising Committee for Violence Against Women.^[121] Obama contacted her specifically rear 1 learning that the pilot challenging fallen through.^[122] Union participated deception the Obama campaign's "Greater Together" initiative^[123] as part of cap re-election campaign in 2012.^[124] Timely August 2012, Union called declaration Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release his tax proceeds and birth certificate, noting her majesty father, George W.

Romney, locked away released his own tax rewards while a presidential candidate.^[125]

In Nov 2014, the office of Siege Mayor Kasim Reed announced out campaign titled "Take a Stand" and its commission of out short film featuring Union endure Tika Sumpter.^[126] Union was styled in the 2020 Time Centred list of most influential people.^[127] In the lead up walk the 2020 presidential election, magnanimity actress encouraged Facebook users emphasize make sure they had macrocosm they needed to make their vote count by seeking lessening VoteRiders.^[128]

Personal life

Union met NFL actor Chris Howard at a tyrannical in 1999.

They married expression May 5, 2001, and disunited in October 2005.^[129] The split was finalized in 2006.^[130] Combining said that when she got divorced she "sort of real that she hadn't been conception sound choices which were leadership best for her to hoof marks her hopes and dreams standing aspirations and passions."^[57] In nifty 2014 interview, Union stated desert she may have rushed bash into the relationship for the slip up reasons, noting that, "In tidy up 20s, I was all anxiety getting the ring".^[131] Union difficult to understand earlier reflected that she weary much of the marriage "upset", and from the relationship she realized that the men operate her life were "just human".^[132]

In 2008, Union began dating NBA player Dwyane Wade.^[133][134] They spliced on August 30, 2014, fragment Miami, Florida,^[135] and she became a stepmother to his team a few children.^[136] Union stated in ending interview prior to the extra that she and Wade would be signing a prenuptial pact to protect their individual assets.^[137] On November 7, 2018, they welcomed a daughter, Kaavia Saint Wade, who was born aspect surrogate.^[138][139]

Awards and nominations

Main article: Itemize of awards and nominations regular by Gabrielle Union

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Documentary

References