Gabrielle Union
Actor Gabrielle Union has portrayed a self-assured Black women in a diverse array of projects, ranging from comedies like "Bring It On" (2000) and "Bad Boys II" (2003) to series like "Being Mary Jane" (BET, 2013-19). Born Gabrielle Monique Union on October 29, 1972 in Omaha, Nebraska, she relocated with her family to the Bay Area suburb of Pleasanton, California, when she was eight years old. She later attended Foothill High School, where she excelled at an array of sports, before graduating in 1991. From there, she followed in the footsteps of two uncles by attending the University of Nebraska, before transferring to Cuesta College and finally, UCLA, where she earned her degree in sociology with honors in 1996. Though she intended on next tackling a law degree, Union found herself modeling, with the intention of using the money to pay off her college loans, through an internship at a Los Angeles modeling agency. When she completed the internship, the agency took her on as a client and submitted her for minor roles on television series; she began landing appearances on shows like "Family Matters" (CBS, 1989-1998), which led to recurring turns on "Sister, Sister" (ABC/The WB, 1994-99) and her feature film debut in the teen comedy "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999). Union's breakout film role, as the tough captain of an inner-city cheerleading squad in "Bring It On," came the following year, and the film's popularity provided her with the boost she needed to transition full-time to features. Union was soon a go-to performer for smart, confident young African-American women in features like "The Brothers" (2001), the comedy "Welcome to Collinwood" (2002) with George Clooney, and the action-thriller "Cradle 2 the Grave" (2003) with Jet Li and rapper DMX. But her film stardom appeared to peak with her turn as Will Smith's girlfriend in "Bad Boys II"; subsequent film projects, including an African-American take on "The Honeymooners" (2005), and an adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' "Running with Scissors" (2006), failed to attract audiences, and by 2005, Union had returned to regular work on television. She joined the cast of the offbeat police drama "Life" (NBC, 2007-09) shortly before its cancellation, and her next effort, the science fiction thriller "FlashForward" (ABC, 2009), lasted only a single season. Undaunted, Union forged ahead with character roles, including a critically acclaimed turn as bluesman Muddy Waters' wife, Geneva Wade, in "Cadillac Records" (2008), and supporting performances in Tyler Perry's "Good Deeds" (2012), the big-screen adaptation of comic Steve Harvey's advice book "Think Like a Man" (2012) and Chris Rock's "Top Five" (2014). She also made her debut as both producer and star on the BET series "Being Mary Jane." The drama, about a successful TV anchor's pursuit of personal and professional happiness, was a ratings hit and earned Union three NAACP Image Award Nominations, including a win in 2014. The success of the series helped to remind audiences and executives alike of Union's talent, and she soon settled into a busy schedule of features and television. The former included Nate Parker's controversial "Birth of a Nation" (2016) and a rare starring turn as a mother defending her children against home invaders in the hit "Breaking In" (2018), which she also produced. In the latter capacity, Union reprised her "Bad Boys II" role for "L.A.'s Finest" (Spectrum Originals, 2019- ), which promoted her character to police detective and partnered her with Jessica Alba. While working on the series, Union also served as a judge on the fourteenth season of the reality competition series "America's Got Talent" (NBC, 2007- ). Controversy erupted in November 2019 when it was announced that Union was fired from the series after a single season: reports quickly revealed that Union had complained about what she considered a toxic work environment, including meddling by producers, a racist joke by guest judge Jay Leno, and series creator Simon Cowell constantly smoking inside the studio building in defiance of California law.
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Gabrielle Union
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28% |
|
Space Cadet | Pam Proctor (Character) | - | 2024 |
81% |
|
The Idea of You | Producer | - | 2024 |
75% | No Score Yet | Riff Raff | Unknown (Character) | - | 2024 |
72% |
|
The Perfect Find |
Jenna Jones (Character), Producer |
- | 2023 |
88% |
|
The Inspection |
Inez French (Character), Executive Producer |
$261.0K | 2022 |
72% |
|
Strange World | Meridian Clade (Voice) | $38.0M | 2022 |
36% |
|
Cheaper by the Dozen |
Zoey Baker (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes | Tootie (Character) | - | 2021 |
65% |
|
The Public | Rebecca Parks (Character) | $571.2K | 2018 |
27% |
|
Breaking In |
Shaun Russell (Character), Producer |
$46.3M | 2018 |
25% |
|
Sleepless | Dena (Character) | $20.7M | 2017 |
49% |
|
Almost Christmas |
Rachel (Character), Executive Producer |
$42.0M | 2016 |
72% |
|
The Birth of a Nation | Esther (Character) | $15.8M | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar | Nala (Voice) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
With This Ring |
Kitty (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 2015 |
85% |
|
Top Five | Erica (Character) | $25.3M | 2014 |
23% |
|
Think Like a Man Too | Kristen (Character) | $65.1M | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Being Mary Jane | Mary Jane Paul (Character) | - | 2013 |
47% |
|
In Our Nature | Vicky (Character) | - | 2012 |
54% |
|
Think Like a Man | Kristen (Character) | $91.5M | 2012 |
37% |
|
Tyler Perry's Good Deeds | Natalie (Character) | $35.0M | 2012 |
66% |
|
Cadillac Records | Geneva (Character) | $8.1M | 2008 |
20% |
|
Meet Dave | No. 3 - Cultural Officer (Character) | $11.8M | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Box | Det. Cris Romano (Character) | - | 2007 |
19% |
|
The Perfect Holiday | Nancy (Character) | $5.8M | 2007 |
25% |
|
Daddy's Little Girls | Julia (Character) | $31.3M | 2007 |
32% |
|
Running With Scissors | Dorothy (Character) | $6.8M | 2006 |
67% |
|
Neo Ned | Rachael (Character) | - | 2005 |
0% |
|
Constellation | Carmel Boxer (Character) | $306.5K | 2005 |
16% |
|
Say Uncle | Elise (Character) | $5.2K | 2005 |
13% |
|
The Honeymooners | Alice Kramden (Character) | $12.8M | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Night Stalker | Unknown (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Something the Lord Made | Clara Thomas (Character) | - | 2004 |
31% |
|
Breakin' All the Rules | Nicky Callas (Character) | $11.8M | 2004 |
24% |
|
Bad Boys II | Syd Burnett (Character) | $138.4M | 2003 |
27% |
|
Cradle 2 the Grave | Daria (Character) | $34.6M | 2003 |
43% |
|
Deliver Us From Eva | Eva (Character) | $17.3M | 2003 |
16% |
|
Abandon | Amanda (Character) | $10.7M | 2002 |
55% |
|
Welcome to Collinwood | Michelle (Character) | $334.0K | 2002 |
40% |
|
Two Can Play That Game | Conny Spalding (Character) | $22.2M | 2001 |
64% |
|
The Brothers | Denise Johnson (Character) | $27.5M | 2001 |
65% |
|
Bring It On | Isis (Character) | $68.3M | 2000 |
41% |
|
She's All That | Katie (Character) | $63.3M | 1999 |
71% |
|
10 Things I Hate About You | Chastity (Character) | $38.2M | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
H-E-Double Hockey Sticks! | Gabrielle (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Playa' Pack | Unknown (Character) | - | 1997 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 28% | The Drew Barrymore Show | Guest | 2020 2022-2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | StoryBots: Answer Time | Ms. Firefighter (Guest Star) | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Gabrielle Union: My Journey to 50 |
Executive Producer, Self |
2023 |
No Score Yet | 12% | The View | Guest | 2014-2015 2017-2018 2020-2023 |
No Score Yet | 69% | Truth Be Told | Eva (Character) | 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Jennifer Hudson Show | Guest | 2023 |
No Score Yet | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2014-2015 2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 2003 2022 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2017 2022 |
No Score Yet | 55% | The Kelly Clarkson Show | Guest | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 18% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2017-2022 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2008 2010 2017 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Dr. Oz Show | Guest | 2017 2020 |
24% | 59% | L.A.'s Finest |
Sydney Burnett (Character), Executive Producer |
2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | 44% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2014-2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Guest | 2012 2014 2016 2020 |
No Score Yet | 65% | The Lion Guard | Nala (Voice) | 2016-2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | America's Got Talent | Judge | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2014 2016-2019 |
No Score Yet | 77% | Being Mary Jane | Mary Jane Paul (Character) | 2014-2015 2017 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2012 2014 2016-2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | All Star Flip | Host | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hot Ones | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2007-2008 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2012 2014-2015 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2015 2017 |
100% | 29% | The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Doctors | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 106 & Park |
Unknown (Character), Guest |
2012 2014-2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2012 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Mo'Nique Show | Unknown (Character) | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Army Wives | Gina Holt (Guest Star) | 2010 |
80% | 78% | FlashForward | Zoey Andata (Guest Star) | 2009-2010 |
70% | 93% | Life | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009 |
97% | 83% | Ugly Betty | Renee Slater (Guest Star) | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Night Stalker | Perri Reed (Character) | 2005-2006 |
No Score Yet | 64% | Family Guy | Shauna Parks (Guest Voice) | 2005 |
81% | 95% | The West Wing | Meeshel Anders (Guest Star) | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pepsi Smash | Host | 2003 |
No Score Yet | 41% | The Proud Family |
Sunny Stevens/ |
2002 |
78% | 93% | Friends | Kristen Lang (Guest Star) | 2001 |
20% | No Score Yet | City of Angels | Dr. Courtney Ellis (Character) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | 85% | ER | Tamara Davis (Guest Star) | 2000 |
33% | No Score Yet | Grown Ups | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Clueless | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998-1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 7th Heaven: Beginnings | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 7th Heaven | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996-1998 |
91% | 89% | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | N'Garen (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | City Guys | Kaiisha Grant (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dave's World | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sister, Sister | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Goode Behavior | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Moesha | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |