Gabrielle Union, born Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade on October 29, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska, is a renowned American actress, author, and activist. Raised by her mother Theresa, a phone company manager, and her father Sylvester, a military sergeant, she was instilled with values of independence and a world perspective from a young age.

She attended Foothill High School in California, where she excelled as a year-round athlete in soccer, basketball, and track. She later pursued higher education at the University of Nebraska and UCLA, where she graduated with honors in sociology.

Her career began in the 1990s with numerous appearances on television sitcoms before landing supporting roles in popular teen films like "She's All That" and "10 Things I Hate About You". Her breakthrough came with the 2000 teen film "Bring It On," which established her as a prominent actress.

She went on to star in a variety of films, including "The Brothers," "Deliver Us from Eva," "Daddy's Little Girls," "Think Like a Man," and "Breaking In". She also had notable roles in TV series such as the CBS medical drama "City of Angels" and the BET drama series "Being Mary Jane," for which she received an NAACP Image Award.

Gabrielle Union is an accomplished author, having written two memoirs, "We're Going to Need More Wine" and "You Got Anything Stronger?," as well as two children's books, "Welcome to the Party" and "Shady Baby".

She is a passionate advocate for women's health, LGBTQ+ equality, and violence against women, and has been recognized for her humanitarian efforts alongside her husband, NBA star Dwyane Wade. She was included in Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.