After making her screen debut in a 1993 episode of the classic sitcom Family Matters, Gabrielle Union has become one of the busiest and most popular actresses in film and television. With three films awaiting release, Union can currently be seen on Spectrum's crime drama L.A.'s Finest, the gender-bending Bad Boys spinoff series co-starring Jessica Alba.
Upon being added to the Netflix library in January 2021, L.A.'s Finest has remained among the most viewed TV series on the platform. With the status of season 3 up in the air, there's time to take a look back at the biggest cinematic ups and downs of Union's career, to date.
The Honeymooners (2005) 3.3
Far and away the worst movie Union has appeared in thus far, as per IMDb, is the remake of the classic Jackie Gleason sitcom, The Honeymooners.
Cedric the Entertainer stars as Ralph Kramden, a blue-collar bus driver always hatching hair-brained schemes to find a fast fortune. Despite the presence of his trusty pal Ed Norton (Mike Epps) to keep him honest, Ralph proceeds to lose his life-savings and sacred marriage before mounting a major comeback. Union plays Ralph's strong-willed wife, Alice.
Constellation (2005) 4.0
Two of Union's worst cinematic moments came in 2005, according to IMDb. In addition to The Honeymooners, Jordan Walker-Pearlman's Constellation failed to reach the stars.
Union plays Carmel Boxer in the film, the beloved matriarch whose death causes her family to reunite for her funeral in the Deep South. The drama centers on Helms Boxer (Billy Dee Williams), Carmel's painter husband who returns from exile in Paris to Alabama to confront his feelings and help his family mend.
The Perfect Holiday (2007) 4.6
Despite its cheery good nature and well-intentioned tone, Lance Rivera's The Perfect Holiday failed to resonate among critics and casual moviegoers alike. The PG-rated family film stars Union as Nancy, a single mother of three too busy to enjoy a personal life.
At Christmastime, Nancy's daughter, Emily, asks a mall Santa to grant Nancy's wish of receiving a compliment from a handsome man. The man playing Santa Claus, Benjamin (Morris Chestnut), is an aspiring rapper who is naturally attracted to Nancy. The two begin dating until Nancy's eldest son, John-John, flies into a jealous rage.
The Box (2007) 4.7
A.J. Kparr's crime drama, The Box, takes the Rashomon approach of showing the same key event from various character perspectives. The key crime involves a botched home invasion in which a dirty cop attempts to loot millions of dollars in cash.
Union plays Detective Cris Romano in the film, a tough-as-nails cop who interrogates the two survivors of the home invasion with her partner, Dwayne Burkhalter (Giancarlo Esposito).
Fearless (2020) 4.8
The most recent feature Union partook in was Fearless, an animated film about a teenage gamer forced to become a babysitter when his waking life becomes a virtual-reality avatar.
Miles Robbins stars as Reid, aka Fe@rLess, an online gamer who finds the penultimate level of his beloved Planet Master video-game becomes a reality when the game's boss delivers three infants with superpowers in his backyard. Tasked with protecting the babies at all costs, Reid also faces the threat of the U.S. Army, led by General Jayne Blazerhatch (Union).
Neo Ned (2005) 7.0
Although 2005 featured two of her worst films to date, according to IMDb, the year also brought to light one of Union's most impressive performances in Neo Ned as well.
Jeremy Renner stars as Ned, a misguided Neo-Nazi skinhead who wants to be like his lowlife father. After falling in with the wrong crowd, Ned is interned at a mental ward where he becomes infatuated with Rachael (Union), a Black nurse he believes is the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. Despite his grand illusions, the two find solace in each other's company in unexpected ways.
Cadillac Records (2008) 7.0
Darnell Martin's Cadillac Records charts the history of Chess Records, a music label founded in 1950 Chicago by Jewish-Polish immigrants, Phil and Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody).
The influential label brought such iconic musical acts as Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Etta James (Beyonce), Howlin' Wolf (Eammon Walker), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), and more, to the fore of the American mainstream. Union plays Geneva Wade in the film, Muddy Waters longtime partner.
Love & Basketball (2000) 7.2
Gina Prince-Bythewood's Love & Basketball is one of the most beloved romantic sports dramedies of the past 20 years. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan star as Quincy and Monica, childhood friends whose personal and professional lives intertwine with profound impact over the course of a decade.
As Quincy and Monica pursue their respective careers in basketball from age 11 on, the two evolve from best friends to lovers to eventual strangers. Years later, as pro players, the two reunite and express a lifetime of feelings for each other.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) 7.3
As one of the cruel and popular mean girls, Chastity, Union turned heads and caught attention for her performance in the classic 90s rom-com, 10 Things I Hate About You.
The teenage adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew finds Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), a stuck-up intellectual introvert being wooed by the rugged Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). However, Patrick has been paid to court Kat as a means of allowing her younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), to attend prom.
Something The Lord Made (2004) 8.2
According to IMDb, Gabrielle Union's finest film to date is the 2004 HBO movie Something The Lord Made. The film won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and an AFI Award for TV Program of the Year. For her work, Union was nominated for a BET Award.
The film traces the trailblazing work of Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), two influential heart surgeons who spent more than 30 years together en route to becoming pioneering doctors in the field of vascular medicine. Union plays Clara Thomas, Vivien's devoted wife who helps him achieve his historical status.