Gabrielle Union was born on October 29, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Theresa Glass, a phone company manager, and Sylvester E. Union, a military sergeant and business executive. At the tender age of eight, her family relocated to Pleasanton, California, where she spent her formative years and attended high school.
During her high school days, Union was a multi-talented student-athlete, excelling as an all-star point guard and participating in soccer, basketball, and track. She graduated from Foothill High School in 1991. After completing her high school education, Union attended the University of Nebraska, where she played on the soccer team.
Her academic journey continued at Cuesta College, before eventually transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As she was planning to pursue a career in law, Union had a college internship at a Los Angeles modeling agency, which turned out to be a pivotal moment in her life. The internship was initially intended to be a way to earn extra credits, but it led to her being approached by clients and eventually becoming a client of the agency herself.
Gabrielle's decision to model was largely driven by the need to pay off her college loans. She modeled until her agent discovered her acting potential, and her first audition/job was landed without any headshots, on the popular television show Saved by the Bell. Since then, she has appeared in numerous small but significant film roles and has guest-starred on several hit television shows.
Union's breakthrough role came when she landed the part of "Dr. Courtney Ellis" on the short-lived CBS medical drama City of Angels. Despite playing strong and opinionated characters, Gabrielle believes that Hollywood needs to recognize all shades of African-American beauty. A 1996 graduate of UCLA with honors in sociology, Union's personal and professional journey is a testament to her resilience and determination.
