Gabrielle Union is tired of women being depicted as damsels in distress. In a candid interview with Vulture, the “Being Mary Jane” actress sounded off about what women “live with every day,” including fears about men invading their space and touching them inappropriately. “These are all real sorts of larger issues that we deal with on the daily,” she stressed. “Also, we have to be superheroes for our families and ourselves every day. We have to do little heroic things, big heroic things, we gotta somehow figure out how to move heaven and earth to advocate for our kids and provide for our children and provide for ourselves.”
The eight-time BET Award nominee explained, “Very rarely does somebody on a white horse, or a cape, show up to save the day. We have to figure it the fuck out — and we do. And we generally don’t have the same resources, we don’t have the same attention, we’re not getting paid the same. But we have to still be excellent and hope that one day somebody notices.”
Union is on the promotional trail for “Breaking In,” a home invasion thriller that sees her playing a mother fighting to protect her kids during a violent break in. “We make moms the most sexless, powerless, mute group,” she observed. “’Somebody has to come save mom and the kids!’ Nah, not today. Mom and the kids are gonna save themselves, because that’s how strong we are everyday,” she emphasized. “I don’t know why that doesn’t translate onto screen, that we’re actually quite capable. I love that in [‘Breaking In,’] the bad guy is constantly like, ‘She’s just a mom. She’s just a woman.'” He pays a price for underestimating her. She doesn’t just wait around hoping someone will come save the day — she takes action.
Last month Union signed a first look deal with Sony Pictures TV. She and Jessica Alba are stars and exec producers on NBC pilot “LA’s Finest,” an offshoot of the “Bad Boys” franchise. Union is reprising her role as Special Agent Syd Burnett.
“Being Mary Jane” will conclude with a two-hour series finale movie sometime this year. BET has yet to announce an air date.
“Breaking In” hits theaters May 11.
