Gabrielle Union was born on October 29, 1973 in Omaha, Nebraska, where she lived until she was eight years old.

Gabrielle Union had planned on attending law school, but began acting after the modeling agency she interned with as a college junior asked to represent her.

After graduating with honors, Union chose to forego law school, stay in L.A., and concentrate on her acting career, which took off after her sparring with cheerleading rival Kirsten Dunst in Bring It On.

She made guest appearances on more than a dozen TV shows, including Friends, Deep Space Nine, and 7th Heaven.

Gabrielle is primed for a successful future. Abandon, the thriller directed by Stephen Gaghan, was released in fall 2002 and although she was only a supporting actress, her portrayal of Katie Holmes' concerned friend did not go unnoticed.

In 2005 she played long-suffering wife Alice Kramden in the feature film remake of the old Jackie Gleason sitcom The Honeymooners (with Cedric the Entertainer in the Gleason role).