From the outside looking in, the year 2000 was an auspicious one for 28-year-old Gabrielle Union.
One of my greatest fears is being misunderstood, she says.
How were you feeling about your life and career at 28, in 2000?
It just wasnt what I was promised.
28 was a time of disappointment and expectations not met.
What stressed you out the most during that time?
Understanding that Hollywood is a business and that Hollywood is in the business of smoke and mirrors.
That was a biggie, because Ive always had an obscene work ethic.
It just didnt seem to matter, and that was frustrating to me.
There were different schools of thoughts about Black movies [likeLove & Basketball] at that time.
A lot of representatives were like, You dont want to be pigeonholed into Black movies.
Your resume has to be universal.
At that time, I wasnt the star of any of those.
I didnt reap the same benefits [she did].
I reap more benefits fromBring It Ontoday than I did at the time.
What kept you going when you were met with so many disappointments?
Did you splurge on anything with the success ofLove & BasketballandBring It On?
Theyre going to figure out that I suck and Ill never work again.
That way, I could always afford it no matter if Hollywood didnt pan out.
What did a typical Friday night look like for you at 28?
We did a lot of potlucks at our house.
My ex-husband was a great f*cking cook.
It was just a simpler time.
How have you changed since you were 28?
Im clear about life and love, and people, and expectations, and Im free.
I wasnt free then in any way, shape or form.
I dont recognize that 28-year-old.
Im like, Whew, girl.
Sucks to be you.
Its just night and day.
It was around that time when Tisha Campbell saw that I was struggling.
She gifted me sessions with a therapist, who is my therapist to this day.
It might be one of the single greatest gifts anyone has ever given me.
What are you most proud of during that time?
I somehow survived and persevered, and kept moving toward the light.
Has there ever been a moment where you feel like you made it?
Wilmer and Tadao were like, Yo, Jermaine Dupri wants to introduce you to Janet Jackson.
They were dating at the time.
Janet Jackson is the moon, the stars, and the rainbow to me.
I kicked and screamed, but Wilmer and Tadao convinced me to go over there.
Janet sees me, and she reacts like she saw her best friend.
She hugged me and said, Im so proud of you.
I was like, What the f*ck?
What advice would you give to your 28-year-old self?
Id just start posing questions like: What if there was another way?
What would you do?
Where would you go?
Whos the first person you would call?
What kinds of friends or knowledge might you seek out?
What do you think your 28-year-old self would think of you now?
Shed be like, Oh, sh*t. Youre doing it.
Youre really f*cking doing it!
I dont even know if my 28-year-old self would recognize my 48-year-old self.
Shed probably think, Theres no way thats real.
Theres no way you’re free to be that happy.
Theres no way you might feel that free.
Theres no way you could be that honest and theres not a consequence.
I still have much more to go, but I think shed be pretty astonished by the evolution.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
