Gabrielle Union spoke on a period of time when her appearance prevented her from landing a part.
Interestingly, the renowned actress talks about a time she lost a role because another actor was thought to be more gorgeous than her in an interview that Netflix’s Strong Black Lead posted in honor of her 51st birthday.
Gabrielle Union opened up about the important lesson she learned from this difficult experience, even though she didn’t reveal the exact movie or the actor she was competing against for the role.
She revealed, “I was a finalist for a big opportunity a few years ago. It finally came down to the two of us after numerous callbacks and studio auditions.” “I was told that I didn’t get the role because ‘She’s just more attractive than you,'” she added. As someone who experienced low self-esteem, it gave me the impression that I didn’t belong and that my Black identity wasn’t respected.”
The rejection had a negative impact on Gabrielle Union
The actress from “The Perfect Find” said that it had a negative impact on her confidence at the time and made her associate her physical attractiveness with her ability to perform her actual job duties.
She confessed, “I understand that it really hurt my self-esteem back then, and it made me start connecting my physical attractiveness to my ability to perform my job.” She added, “I’ve realized that it would have been soul-crushing if I had been given that responsibility and had to deal with individuals who believed that way. I want to be in situations where I am truly appreciated.”
“You need to interpret that as a signal,” she continued, “when someone indicates through their initial offer what they believe your true worth is, that initial figure.” For in their perfect world, they anticipate that you will take that lesser sum. It also indicates a lot about the kind of experience you’re likely to have when you have to bargain for your actual worth.”
Gabrielle underlined that you should have the guts to keep your distance from people or circumstances that don’t truly value you, particularly if they’re asking you to minimize your worth.
When they saw the video, people wondered who could be so bold as to judge this beautiful woman just on the basis of her appearance. They also wondered who the casting director was referring to when they added, “She’s just prettier than you.” Some conjectured that Gabrielle might have been referring to Kerry Washington’s eventual role as Olivia Pope in Scandal.
In a prior interview, Gabrielle acknowledged that she had tried out for a role in Scandal, but she did not make it clear which audition she was referring to.
Shonda [Rhimes] made an impression on Gabrielle Union
She clarified in an interview with RollingOut magazine, saying, “Shonda [Rhimes] encouraged every Black lady who walked through her door during my Scandal audition. I want to be treated with the same respect that Shonda showed me, even if I don’t land the next role—or the five that come after.
Among the last five or ten applicants to try out was me. I congratulated Kerry [Washington] for getting cast. I’m now leading the charge like the Gladiators after every episode, exhorting everyone to “Stand up!” I’m an avid watcher of the program.”
ABC premiered Scandal in 2012. Nevertheless, Gabrielle’s decision to turn down the Scandal job paid off in the end, as she was cast as the lead in the BET series Being Mary Jane the following year.
More about Gabrielle Union
Notable roles include The Brothers (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Daddy’s Little Girls (2007), Think Like a Man (2012), and Think Like a Man Too (2014). Gabrielle Union is well-known for her romantic comedy films. She has also landed major roles in the movies Bad Boys II (2003), 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 starred in the CBS medical drama series City of Angels (2000). She has also shared the screen with actors in films including Sleepless (2017), Almost Christmas (2016), and The Birth of a Nation (2016).
In the 1990s, Gabrielle Union’s career flourished. She made multiple television sitcom appearances around that time before landing supporting roles in teen films like She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You in 1999. The next year, she became well-known due to her important part in the adolescent movie Bring It On.
