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Gabrielle Union
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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's 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.
Contents
- 1 Early life
- 2 Career
- 3 Personal life
- 4 Awards and nominations
- 5 Filmography
- 6 External links
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Early life
Gabrielle Union was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Her parents are Sylvester and Theresa Union, both of African American descent. 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 high school, Union dated NBA player Jason Kidd.[1]
Career
Union originally intended to become a lawyer. 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.
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 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 lead to Union being cast in the CBS television drama City of Angels as Dr. Courtney Ellis.
2003 saw Union getting her first leading role in the film Deliver Us From Eva with rapper L.L. Cool J. The film received fair reviews from critics and it showed that Union was a leading lady. Union then 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 dollars worldwide. Union then starred with another Oscar nominee 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 film Daddy's Little Girls by Tyler Perry that was released on Valentine's Day. She has been cast in the ABC television pilot Football Wives . If the series is picked up it will most likely begin airring in the fall of 2007.
Personal life
In 1992, Union was assaulted and raped at gunpoint while working at a shoe store.[2] Her attacker fled, but later turned himself into the police after committing an unrelated assault. He took a plea bargain and received a 33-year prison sentence; Union has said she will testify at his parole hearings to ensure he's not released early. In 2006, Union visited Congress for the National Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Legislative Action Days.
In May 2001, Union married NFL player Chris Howard of the Jacksonville Jaguars; In November 2005, the couple separated.
Awards and nominations
- 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)
Filmography
