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Gabrielle Union: A peek at Hollywood’s darling

We peek behind the curtain at the rise and rise of Hollywood’s darling, Gabrielle Union 

There’s something truly remarkable about going through tough times and emerging stronger than ever. When Gabrielle Union graced our screens as the fierce Mary Jane Paul in the hit show Being Mary Jane, she inspired countless women to chase their dreams with tenacity. But behind the scenes, her life wasn’t always as polished as her character’s was.  

Amid rumours of a cheating partner, struggles with fertility and battles with mental health, Gabrielle has emerged as a powerhouse of persistence and resilience. She once said, “You don’t get to go into the room with the same energy you left with. You have to have learned something!’  

From starring in 90s teen classics in her early days to taking over Tinseltown, Gabrielle’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. And now at 52, the award-winning actor embodies timeless beauty, immense talent and an entrepreneurial spirit.  

From Nebraska to Hollywood  

Growing up in Omaha, a city in the US state of Nebraska, Gabrielle’s early years were shaped by the values of hard work and resilience instilled by her parents, Sylvester and Theresa. These lessons helped her navigate adolescence in a predominantly white community, preparing her for Hollywood’s diverse roles and challenges.  

When her parents split up 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 mirror what my parents did and always put the kids first.”  

Despite being raised by pretty grounded parents, Gabrielle grew up with self-esteem issues relating to being one of the few black kids in her environment. When she was younger, she believed that “blonde was the ideal of beauty, and if I looked nothing like that, then I must be ugly.” 

She’s spent years navigating these issues, especially in the demanding entertainment industry. Nevertheless, she burst onto the scene in iconic teen films like She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You, capturing hearts and setting the stage for a stellar career. Her role as Isis in Bring It On turned her into a household name.  

This success opened doors to roles in Bad Boys II, Deliver Us from Eva and Think Like a Man, showcasing her versatility and earning her a devoted fan base. She reached a point where she didn’t let the tough industry, and her insecurities get her down.  

“Now, we [black women] are on the vibe of ‘Love me exactly as I am, or not’ I’m so happy in my own skin, I’m so happy in my own body, and I’m so happy in my own identity. It’s refreshing,” she says.  

Shining on TV and beyond  

Gabrielle’s talent truly shone in the BET series Being Mary Jane (2013-2019), where she played a successful yet complex news anchor. Her performance captivated audiences and earned critical acclaim. But Gabrielle’s talents extend beyond the screen. 

In 2017, she launched Flawless by Gabrielle Union, a haircare line for women with textured hair. It emphasises affordability and accessibility, empowering women to embrace their natural beauty. Her entrepreneurial drive continued with Proudly, a baby-care brand focusing on the unique needs of children of colour, which she co-founded with her husband, NBA legend Dwyane Wade.  

The star is stepping out of her comfort zone these days. Her upcoming films include horror movie The Casket Girls, in which she plays a detective, and the thriller Forbidden Fruits, which is set in a mall and zooms in on a group of women who operate a witchy cult after hours. She is also part of the voice cast of the upcoming animated basketball comedy GOAT (her character is a black leopard).  

Family is forever: Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union with kids (from left) Dahveon, Zaire, Zaya and Kaavia (in front)

 

Love and family ties  

Gabrielle’s personal life is a testament to love and partnership. Her relationship with Dwyane, which began in 2009 and culminated in a fairy-tale wedding in 2014, is one of Hollywood’s most cherished love stories. They welcomed their daughter Kaavia in 2018 via surrogate after Gabrielle shared her struggles with infertility. 

Their openness sparked crucial conversations about women’s health. Gabrielle emphasised, “The [fertility] journey is hard and has risks, but I believe it’s worth it. I believe I am worth it’ Her advocacy for women’s health empowers other women to take control of their own narratives and health journeys.  

Gabrielle showcases her nurturing spirit as a stepmother to Dwyane’s three children from previous relationships (Zaire, Zaya and Xavier) and his nephew Dahveon (of whom he has full custody).  

Their blended family is a beacon of warmth and inclusivity, advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights, especially in support of Dwyane’s transgender daughter, Zaya. Their public stance on acceptance and love provides hope and support to many other families.  

When Dwyane spoke at the NAACP Image Awards in 2023 – where the couple received the President’s Award — he addressed Zaya directly: As your father, all I’ve wanted to do was get it right. I’ve watched how gracefully you’ve taken on public scrutiny. And even though it’s not easy, I admire how you handle the ignorance in our world. To say that your village is proud of you is an understatement. My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, wishes and dreams!’  

Gabrielle followed, praising the NAACP for advancing the lives of black people through relentless challenge, pain, triumph and change. She highlighted the importance of collective activism, asking, “What will we do with this moment?” 

 

You don’t get to go into the room with the same energy you left with. You have to have learned something

 

Showing up for each other  

The couple, who have been married for almost 11 years, admit that marriage comes with ebbs and flows, but it’s all about learning from each other through good and bad times. Back in 2013, before they tied the knot, it was revealed Dwyane had fathered a child with another woman while he was in a relationship with Gabrielle. 

 The couple survived the scandal despite attempts by Dwyane to break it off. This was a scary time for him, he has admitted, as he was initially too scared to tell Gabrielle the truth. “I tried to pussyfoot around it; I tried to break up with her… ‘Hey, things have been bad lately’, ‘Hey, we’ve been having a little distance in our relationship anyway’… I tried all that. She kept showing up,” he revealed on ‘Club Shay Shay’, a podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe. “You’re thinking about it all; it’s all scary. But you know that this is going to hurt someone that you’ve been building a relationship with and a life with.”  

They decided to go to couples therapy and eventually moved on from the debacle. The conversation on the podcast led to Dwyane advising others. He claimed that while conversations during such a situation can prove challenging, he owed his wife the conversation and the efforts afterwards.  

Gabrielle echoed those sentiments, adding, “This is both of our second marriages, and we’re super transparent about that. We didn’t do it right the first time around. There is another way — to be more collaborative and equitable. We humble ourselves, listen and meet in the middle.”  

Gabrielle married her first husband, NFL player Chris Howard, in 2001 but it lasted for only four years. She later said she had “rushed into the relationship for the wrong reasons. In my 20s, I was all about getting the ring.”  

Fast-forward to today, Dwyane and Gabrielle couldn’t be happier. They’re each other’s biggest supporters — and they’re not afraid to show their love and support publically, like that time in 2024 where Gabrielle was there to support Dwyane’s team, Chicago Sky, against the Connecticut Suns. Gabrielle posted photos on Instagram featuring her look. And the one most impressed by this look was none other than D -Wade. Taking to his Instagram account, the NBA champ posted a series of Gabrielle’s photos from the game, with the caption. “Let me interrupt this program to say DAMN, my wife is beautiful!”  

The couple also recently spoke out about how they split their finances. In 2023, Gabrielle went viral for saying she goes 50/50 with Dwyane on everything. However, during an appearance on the ‘Balanced Black Girl’ podcast, she shifted gears. “I famously said, ’50/50 or bust’, right? And I meant that financially, spiritually and emotionally,” she said, mentioning that her previous need for control was a trauma response.  

“It’s never wanting to be so out of control that I don’t have control over what is happening to my body. And ’50/50′ is… I’m not going to be vulnerable enough to trust you with 100% of anything, not my heart, not my cash, not my energy. 

“I realised that so much of my anxiety — I was diagnosed with PTSD after being sexually assaulted at 19 — the extreme anxiety, the anxiety attacks, being hyper-focused on efficiency and time and being fiercely independent, are trauma responses. And there’s just a lot of days that I have 10%, and I need him to be 90. There are days I don’t have shit, and I need him to be 100” 

Dwyane added to this sentiment recently on ‘Club Shay Shay’: “I have 20 to 50 responsibilities, and my wife has 20 to 50 responsibilities, and when I say that, that means she has her mother, she has her sisters, she has her dad, so she has a lot of things she’s responsible for,” the athlete explained. “She pays 100% of that and you know what I do? I pay 100% of my life. So, in our life, our home, we purchased it together 50/50. Anything that goes on with our daughter, we share it together.”  

 

The journey is hard and has risks, but I believe it’s worth it. I believe I am worth it

 

Doing what’s right  

Gabrielle is an advocate for survivors of sexual assault and those affected by injustice. She addressed the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012, saying, “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.” 

In the months following Trayvon’s death, Gabrielle supported a petition that called for Florida District Attorney Norman Wolfinger to bring charges against George Zimmerman. After he was acquitted of the charges in July 2013, Gabrielle remarked, “Apparently walking while black is a crime punishable by death.” [In April this year, a decade later, the case was reopened and Zimmerman will go to trial.]  

Gabrielle is also unafraid to call herself out after admitting to being a ‘mean girl’ to her fellow sisters while working her way up in Hollywood. Oprah Winfrey said she was inspired by Gabrielle’s acceptance speech for the Fierce and Fearless Award at the 2013 Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, in which the actor admitted she once “revelled in gossip and rumours”. Oprah said she’d “never heard anyone be that honest in public or private about the competition and fierce drive to be seen and succeed in Hollywood”.  

Gabrielle continues to shine with her boundless energy and passion. Her upcoming projects include a TV series based on her memoir, We’re Going to Need More Wine —personal stories and reflections on a range of topics, from sexuality and race to marriage and beauty. Her candid reflections in this memoir reveal her resilience and humour, with Gabrielle describing her book as “the good, the bad, and the WTF’.  

Keep up with Gabrielle

Instagram: @gabunion
Facebook: Gabrielle Union
X: @itsgabrielleu

 

By: Mel Ndlovu
Photography by: Gallo/Getty Images 
Text courtesy of Club magazine

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