Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Monique Union (born October 29, 1972) is an American actress and former model. Among her notable roles is as the cheerleader opposite Kirsten Dunst in the film Bring it On. Union starred opposite Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the blockbuster film Bad Boys II and played a medical doctor in the CBS drama series City of Angels. She starred with LL Cool J in Deliver Us from Eva in 2003.

Personal life

In 1992, at age 19, Union was attacked, beaten and raped at her part-time job in a shoe store. Her attacker later turned himself in and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. She has since become an advocate for victims of sexual assault.

While being interviewed by Jimmy Kimmel, she said she dated Jason Kidd in high school. She was once married to NFL player Chris Howard. The couple married on May 1, 2001. They became legally separated and the divorce was final in April 2006. She is now dating NBA star Dwyane Wade.

Early life

Union was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Theresa and Sylvester Union. At the age of eight, her family moved to Pleasanton, California, where she grew up and attended Foothill High School. In high school, Union was an all-star point guard in basketball and a year-round athlete, also playing in soccer and running track.

Career

Union attended the University of Nebraska before moving on to Cuesta College. She eventually transferred to UCLA and earned a degree in sociology. While studying there, she interned at the Judith Fontaine Modeling & Talent Agency to earn extra academic credits. Invited by the agency's owner, Judith Fontaine, Union started working as a model to pay off college loans.

Union started her acting career in minor roles. Most were in teen movies such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Love and Basketball. In 1997, Union appeared in a sixth-season episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the Klingon N'Garen. She also appeared in Sister, Sister as Vanessa, in Smart Guy as Denise, and in five episodes of 7th Heaven as Keesha Hamilton.

In 2000, Union landed the role of Isis in the cheerleading movie Bring it On opposite Kirsten Dunst. Bring It On helped push Union into the mainstream and she began gaining more exposure. This led to Union being cast in the CBS television drama City of Angels as Dr. Courtney Ellis.

Union was cast in her first leading role in the 2003 film Deliver Us from Eva with rapper L.L. Cool J. This was her second time working with the rapper since making a cameo in his video "Paradise" in 2002. The film received fair reviews from critics and it showed that Union was a leading lady. Union landed the role of Will Smith's girlfriend Syd in the film Bad Boys II, a box office success grossing over $273 million worldwide. Union starred with Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx in the film Breakin' All the Rules in 2004.

Union starred in the short-lived 2005 ABC series Night Stalker. She has also starred in the independent drama films Neo Ned and Constellation, the latter of which was released to theaters. 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 with comedian Cedric The Entertainer. In 2006, she starred as Busta Rhymes' love interest in the music video for Rhymes' "I Love My Chick". Union starred in the 2007 films Daddy's Little Girls by Tyler Perry (released on Valentine's Day) and the Christmas film The Perfect Holiday which opened on December 12.

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.

Awards and nominations

MTV Awards

2005, Best Actress (2004, Best Actress (nominated)

2003, Best Actress (nominated)

Black Reel Awards

2008, Best Ensemble: Cadillac Records (winner)

2005, Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy: Breakin' All the Rules (nominated)

2005, Best Supporting Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made (nominated)

2004, Best Actress: Deliver Us From Eva (nominated)

2002, Best Supporting Actress: The Brothers (nominated)

2001, Best Supporting Actress: Bring It On (winner)

Image Awards

2005, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Breakin' All the Rules (nominated)

2005, Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made (nominated)

2004, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Deliver Us From Eva (nominated)

2004, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Bad Boys II (nominated)

Palm Beach International Film Festival

2006, Best Actress Neo Ned (winner)