Gabrielle Union
Biography
Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade (born October 29, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in The Brothers (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Bad Boys II (2003), Daddy's Little Girls (2007), Think Like a Man (2012), Think Like a Man Too (2014), and the remake of Cheaper by the Dozen (2022). She also starred as the lead in the BET drama series Being Mary Jane (2013-2019), for which she has received an NAACP Image Award, and in the crime series L.A.'s Finest (2019-2020) - a spinoff series for her character Syd in Bad Boys II.. She also had starring roles in the CBS medical drama series City of Angels (2000) and in the films Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), Neo Ned (2005), Cadillac Records (2008), Top Five (2014), Breaking In (2018), and The Perfect Find (2023). She has also co-starred in the films The Birth of a Nation (2016), Almost Christmas (2016), and Sleepless (2017). In high school, Union was an all-star point guard in basketball and a year-round athlete, also playing in soccer and running track. She went on to 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, she started working as a model to pay off college loans. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on TV sitcoms prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films She's All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. She rose to greater prominence the following year, after she landed her breakthrough role in the teen film Bring It On. Bring It On helped push her into the mainstream and she began gaining more exposure. She was cast in her first leading role in the 2003 film Deliver Us from Eva with rapper L.L. Cool J. In 2003, she landed the role of Will Smith's girlfriend/Martin Lawrence's sister Sydney Burnett in the film Bad Boys II, and she starred with Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx in the film Breakin' All the Rules in 2004. She then 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. Outside of acting, she has written four books: two memoirs, titled We're Going to Need More Wine (2017) and You Got Anything Stronger? (2021), and two children's books, titled Welcome to the Party (2020), and Shady Baby (2021).
Known For

Family Guy

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

Friends
All Movies (57)
- Forbidden Fruits2026 · as Sharon
- GOAT2026 · as Jett Fillmore (voice)
- Riff Raff2025 · as Sandy
- Space Cadet2024 · as Pam Proctor
- The Perfect Find2023 · as Jenna Jones
- Strange World2022 · as Meridian Clade (voice)
- The Inspection2022 · as Inez French
- Cheaper by the Dozen2022 · as Zoey Baker
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes2021 · as Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey
- Adele One Night Only2021 · as Self
- Fearless2020 · as General Blazerhatch (voice)
- Sesame Street Elmo's Playdate: Scavenger Hunt2020
- The Public2019 · as Rebecca Parks
- Breaking In2018 · as Shaun Russell
- The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar2017 · as Nala (voice)
- Sleepless2017 · as Dena
- Almost Christmas2016 · as Rachel
- The Birth of a Nation2016 · as Esther
- The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar2016 · as Nala (voice)
- With This Ring2015 · as Kitty
- Top Five2014 · as Erica Long
- Think Like a Man Too2014 · as Kristen
- The Door2013 · as She
- Miss Dial2013 · as Long Story Caller
- In Our Nature2012 · as Vicky
- Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide2012 · as Self
- Think Like a Man2012 · as Kristen
- Good Deeds2012 · as Natalie
- Cadillac Records2008 · as Geneva Wade
- Meet Dave2008 · as No. 3 - Cultural Officer
- The Perfect Holiday2007 · as Nancy Taylor
- Daddy's Little Girls2007 · as Julia Rossmore
- Constellation2007 · as Carmel Boxer
- The Box2007 · as Cris Romano
- Running with Scissors2006 · as Dorothy
- Say Uncle2006 · as Elise Carter
- The Honeymooners2005 · as Alice Kramden
- Neo Ned2005 · as Rachael
- Something the Lord Made2004 · as Clara Thomas
- Breakin' All the Rules2004 · as Nikki
- Hustle and Heat2003 · as Masked Woman
- Bad Boys II2003 · as Syd
- Cradle 2 the Grave2003 · as Daria
- Deliver Us from Eva2003 · as Evangeline 'Eva' Dandrige
- Abandon2002 · as Amanda Luttrell
- Welcome to Collinwood2002 · as Michelle
- Two Can Play That Game2001 · as Conny Spalding
- The Brothers2001 · as Denise Johnson
- Bring It On2000 · as Isis
- Love & Basketball2000 · as Shawnee
- H.E. Double Hockey Sticks1999 · as Gabrielle
- 10 Things I Hate About You1999 · as Chastity
- She's All That1999 · as Katie
- Sorcerority—
- The Casket Girls— · as Detective Shay Williams
- Blame It on Rome— · as Billie
- Perdita— · as Pearl
All TV Shows (75)
- Reading Rainbow2025 · as Self
- Number One on the Call Sheet2025 · as Self
- We Got Time Today2024 · as Self
- Hollywood Black2024 · as Self
- Gabrielle Union: My Journey to 502023 · as Self
- StoryBots: Answer Time2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self
- Sherri2022 · as Self - Guest
- The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self - Guest
- The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder2022 · as Talia (Voice)
- CBS Mornings2021 · as Self - Guest
- The Drew Barrymore Show2020 · as Self
- Truth Be Told2019 · as Eva Pierre
- Tamron Hall2019 · as Self - Guest
- The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
- A Black Lady Sketch Show2019 · as Gabrielle Union
- L.A.'s Finest2019 · as Syd Burnett
- Desus & Mero2019 · as Self - Illustrious Guest
- Red Table Talk2018 · as Self
- Steve2017 · as Self
- The Lion Guard2016 · as Nala (voice)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015
- The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self - Guest
- Hot Ones2015 · as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self - Guest
- Being Mary Jane2013 · as Mary Jane Paul
- Half the Sky2012 · as Self
- NTSF:SD:SUV::2011 · as Sandy Canyons
- Conan2010 · as Self
- FlashForward2009 · as Zoey Andata
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
- Life2007 · as Jane Seever
- Army Wives2007 · as Gina Holt
- Ugly Betty2006 · as Renee Slater
- America's Got Talent2006 · as Self - Judge
- The Reichen Show2005 · as Self
- Night Stalker2005 · as Perri Reed
- The Tony Danza Show2004 · as Self
- On Air with Ryan Seacrest2004 · as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
- Pepsi Smash2003 · as Self - Host
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
- The Proud Family2001 · as Sunny Stevens / Iesha (voice)
- City of Angels2000 · as Courtney Ellis
- The Early Show1999 · as Self
- The West Wing1999 · as Meeshel Anders
- Grown Ups1999 · as Felicia
- Teen Choice Awards1999 · as Self - Presenter
- Family Guy1999 · as Shauna Parks (voice)
- City Guys1997
- The View1997 · as Self - Guest
- The View1997 · as Self
- Smart Guy1997 · as Lydia
- Jungle Cubs1996
- Clueless1996
- 7th Heaven1996 · as Keesha Hamilton
- The Steve Harvey Show1996 · as Naomi Parson
- The Daily Show1996 · as Self - Guest
- Moesha1996 · as Ashli
- Friends1994 · as Kirsten Lang
- ER1994 · as Tamara Davis
- Sister, Sister1994 · as Shawn
- Sister, Sister1994 · as Vanessa
- Dave's World1993 · as Carly
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
- Saved by the Bell: The New Class1993 · as Hilary
- Saved by the Bell: The New Class1993 · as Jennifer
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine1993 · as N'Garen
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
- People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Presenter