Gabrielle Union
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Gabrielle Union

Union in February 2009
Born Gabrielle Monique Union
October 29, 1972 (1972-10-29) (age 36)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Occupation Actress/Singer
Years active 1996–present

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 also 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 also starred with LL Cool J and Meagan Good in Deliver Us from Eva in 2003.

Contents [hide]
1 Biography
1.1 Early life
1.2 Career
1.3 Personal life
2 Awards and nominations
3 Filmography
4 Television
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Union was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Theresa and Sylvester Union.[1] She is African American and was raised as a Roman Catholic[1][2][3] 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 and a year round athlete participating in soccer, basketball, and track. During this time, Union dated current Dallas Mavericks star point guard Jason Kidd.

[edit] Career
Union originally intended to become a physician. She 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 a modeling agency to earn extra academic credits. She was asked by the agency to sign on with them as a new model. She needed money to pay off some college loans and debts, so she eventually agreed to become a fashion model.[4]

Union started her acting career in minor roles. Most were in teen movies like 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 out 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. But first, Union landed the role of Oscar nominee Will Smith's girlfriend Syd in the film Bad Boys II, a box office success grossing over $273 million worldwide. Union then 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 also 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".[5]

In 2008, Union appeared on Ugly Betty for three episodes (36-38) as Renee, Wilhelmina Slater's (Vanessa L. Williams) sister and Daniel Meade's (Eric Mabius) love interest. She also made a cameo appearance in the music video for Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent".

She joined the cast of the U.S. television series Life on NBC and appeared in four episodes prior to the cancellation of series in May 2009.[6] She will appear in the ABC series FlashForward alongside John Cho and Joseph Fiennes which premiered on September 24, 2009.

[edit] Personal life
In 1992, at age 19, Union was attacked, beaten and raped at her part-time job in a shoestore. Her attacker later turned himself in and was sentenced to 33 years in prison.[7] She has since become an advocate for victims of sexual assault.[8] Union was once married to football player Chris Howard. They divorced in 2005. Since she has been linked to rapper Ludacris in 2007.[9] Most recently she has been linked to Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade.[10]

[edit] Awards and nominations
BET Awards
2005, Best Actress (Nominated)
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 Film Festival
2006, Best Actress Neo Ned (Winner)
[edit] Filmography
She's All That (1999)
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Love & Basketball (2000)
Bring It On (2000)
Friends (2001)
The Brothers (2001)
Two Can Play That Game (2001)
Welcome to Collinwood (2002)
Abandon (2002)
Deliver Us from Eva (2003)
Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)
Bad Boys II (2003)
Ride or Die (2003)
Breakin' All the Rules (2004)
Something The Lord Made (2004)
Neo Ned (2005)
The Honeymooners (2005)
Say Uncle (2005)
Running with Scissors (2006)
Constellation (2007)
Daddy's Little Girls (2007)
The Box (2007)
The Perfect Holiday (2007)
Meet Dave (2008)
Cadillac Records (2008)
Body Politic (2009)
[edit] Television
Family Matters - TV series (1993)
Saved by the Bell: The New Class - TV series (1995-1996)
Moesha - TV series (1996)
Malibu Shores - TV series (1996)
Goode Behavior - TV series (1996)
7th Heaven - TV series (1996-1999)
Smart Guy - TV series (1997)
Dave's World - TV series (1997)
Hitz - TV series (1997)
Sister, Sister - TV series (1997)
City Guys - TV series (1997)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - TV series (1997)
Clueless - TV series (1999)
Grown Ups - TV series (1999)
H-E Double Hockey Sticks - TV film (1999)
ER - TV series (2000)
The Others - TV series (2000)
Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane - TV series (2000)
City of Angels - TV series (2000)
Close to Home - TV film (2001)
Friends - TV film (2001)
The Proud Family - TV series (2003)
The West Wing - TV series (2004)
Something the Lord Made - TV film (2004)
Family Guy - TV series (2005)
Night Stalker - TV series (2005-2006)
Football Wives - TV film (2007)
Ugly Betty - TV series (2008)
The BET Honors - TV film (2009)
Life - TV series (2009)
FlashForward (2009 TV series) - TV series (2009)
[edit] References
1.^ a b Gabrielle Union Biography - Yahoo! Movies
2.^ Gabrielle Union stars in 'The Perfect Holiday' | ScrippsNews
3.^ Gabrielle Union: the sky is the limit Hollywood's rising star. | Jet (May , 2004)
4.^ DeMarco Williams (2008-01-04). "Gabrielle Union: National Treasure". hiphopdx.com. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/lifestyle-features/id.986/title.gabrielle-union-national-treasure. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
5.^ | Art Nouveau Magazine | Art, Fashion, Music, Culture
6.^ "Life Cancelled". http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/life-canceled-season-three. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
7.^ "Gabrielle Union Senate testimony". http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=3898&wit_id=8041. Retrieved August 14, 2009.
8.^ CALCASA, Actress Gabrielle Union, State Legislators Kick Off Sexual Assault Awareness Month Statewide Campaign Throughout April Provides Education, Resources for Residents on Preventing Sexual Assault
9.^ Union and Ludacris?
10.^ Union and Wade coupled up
[edit] External links
Gabrielle Union at the Internet Movie Database
Gabrielle Union at TV.com
Gabrielle Union at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_Union"
Categories: 1972 births | African American actors | American film actors | American