Gabrielle Union, actress and activist, is back—simply sassy, ever elegant, and as flawless as usual, not mincing words as she talks about it all—Hollywood, marriage, motherhood, politics, sports and 90s R&B in the November issue of ESSENCE Magazine, on newsstands, October 14.
Union has had an amazing career on both the big and small screens; however, when it comes to career progression, she definitely is on point. “I’m at an age where my ego doesn’t live and die by how many lines I have,” says the 43-year-old stunner, in her cover interview. “There’s more to life than line counting.”
With that attitude at the forefront, Union has decided to take on more of a role behind the scenes as producer when her hit tv show Being Mary Jane returns in January for season four. “I don’t just want to be a hired gun. I want to have a little bit more control over the narrative. The only way I can be empowered to do that is to be a producer. Now with as many projects that will have me, it’s part of the deal. For the first time in my whole career, I’ve actually been invited to the writer’s room. I walked in there as if I was meeting the Pope.”
In the interview, Union goes on to discuss how she’s navigating the world of marriage and raising children—especially Black boys. “Until they walk through the door, I’m terrified,” she says. “Sometimes I just want to stay off my timeline, because it makes those waits until they walk through the door a thousand times worse. One of my biggest fears is them being a hashtag on some bulls—t.”
For more of Union’s interview, pick up a copy of ESSENCE’s November issue and check out Union’s latest big screen flick, Almost Christmas, in theaters November 11th.
