History of Gabrielle Union in Timeline

Gabrielle Union is an American actress whose career began in the 1990s with numerous television sitcom appearances and supporting roles in teen films like "She's All That" and "10 Things I Hate About You". Her breakthrough role came in 2000 with the teen film "Bring It On", which significantly boosted her prominence in the entertainment industry.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1999: Meeting Chris Howard

In 1999, Gabrielle Union met NFL player Chris Howard at a party.

May 5, 2001: Marriage to Chris Howard

On May 5, 2001, Gabrielle Union married NFL player Chris Howard.

2004: Neutrogena Spokeswoman

In 2004, Gabrielle Union became a spokeswoman for Neutrogena.

October 2005: Separation from Chris Howard

In October 2005, Gabrielle Union and Chris Howard separated.

2006: Divorce from Chris Howard Finalized

In 2006, the divorce between Gabrielle Union and Chris Howard was finalized.

2008: Began dating Dwyane Wade

In 2008, Gabrielle Union began dating NBA player Dwyane Wade.

2008: Support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign

In 2008, Gabrielle Union supported Barack Obama in his presidential campaign.

2010: Launch of Love & Blessings clothing line

In 2010, Gabrielle Union launched Love & Blessings, a clothing line for plus-sized women, inspired by her sister.

February 2012: Airport Security Incident

In February 2012, Gabrielle Union was identified as a suspicious person by airport security and subjected to a "hair patdown", later tweeting about the experience.

June 2, 2012: Global Race for the Cure

On Saturday, June 2, 2012, Gabrielle Union ran in the Global Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C., in honor of her friend Kristen Martinez, who died from breast cancer.

August 2012: Call for Romney to Release Tax Returns

In August 2012, Gabrielle Union called on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to release his tax returns and birth certificate.

2012: Spokesperson for Planned Parenthood's breast health initiative

In 2012, Gabrielle Union became a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood's breast health initiative and launched the Women Are Watching campaign with other actresses.

July 2013: Response to Zimmerman Acquittal

In July 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted of charges in Trayvon Martin's death, Gabrielle Union remarked, "Apparently walking while black is a crime punishable by death."

August 23, 2013: Unveiling of March on Washington Stamp

On August 23, 2013, Gabrielle Union was present at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., and unveiled a limited-edition 1963 March on Washington stamp to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the march.

March 2014: Release of Vanilla Puddin' wine

In March 2014, Gabrielle Union released her first wine, named Vanilla Puddin'.

July 8, 2014: Call for Information on Tanganyika Williams' Murder

On July 8, 2014, after the murder of Tanganyika Williams, the aunt of NBA player Matt Barnes, Gabrielle Union posted calls on Instagram and Twitter for information regarding the killer.

August 30, 2014: Marriage to Dwyane Wade

On August 30, 2014, Gabrielle Union married NBA player Dwyane Wade in Miami, Florida, becoming a stepmother to his three children. A prenuptial agreement was signed to protect their individual assets.

October 2014: Designing T-shirts for Women Are Watching campaign

In October 2014, it was announced that Gabrielle Union would be designing T-shirts to bring attention to the Women Are Watching campaign.

November 2014: "Take a Stand" campaign

In November 2014, the office of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced a campaign titled "Take a Stand" and its commission of a short film featuring Gabrielle Union and Tika Sumpter.

2014: Reflection on Relationship with Chris Howard

In a 2014 interview, Gabrielle Union stated that she may have rushed into the relationship with Chris Howard for the wrong reasons, noting that, "In my 20s, I was all about getting the ring".

April 2017: Announcement of Memoir

In April 2017, Gabrielle Union announced her first book, a memoir titled "We're Going to Need More Wine," featuring personal stories and reflections on sexuality, womanhood, friendship, race, marriage, and beauty.

We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True

Check it on Amazon

October 17, 2017: Release of "We're Going to Need More Wine"

On October 17, 2017, Gabrielle Union's memoir, "We're Going to Need More Wine", was released. The book was published by Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True

Check it on Amazon

December 2017: "Best Book of the Year by a Black Author"

In December 2017, Gabrielle Union's book, "We're Going to Need More Wine", was named a "Best Book of the Year by a Black Author" by The Root magazine.

We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True

Check it on Amazon

November 7, 2018: Birth of daughter Kaavia James Wade

On November 7, 2018, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade welcomed a daughter, Kaavia James Wade, who was born via surrogate.

May 2020: Release of "Welcome to the Party"

In May 2020, Gabrielle Union released her first children's book, "Welcome to the Party", an ode to newborns and non-traditional families that was inspired by her daughter.

Welcome to the Party

Check it on Amazon

2020: Named in Time 100 list

Gabrielle Union was named in the 2020 Time 100 list of most influential people. In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the actress encouraged Facebook users to make sure they had everything they needed to make their vote count by seeking out VoteRiders.

2020: Collaboration with JusticeLA

In 2020, Gabrielle Union collaborated with JusticeLA to create a public service announcement #SuingToSaveLives about the health of people in L.A. County jails amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Relaunch of Flawless haircare brand

In 2020, Gabrielle Union relaunched her haircare brand, Flawless, for women with textured hair, offering affordable and customizable products. That same year, she joined Bitsy's as a cofounder.