Gabrielle Union on Speaking Out, How Companies Can Step Up and Who Inspires Her to ‘Bust Ass’

The actress, producer and advocate is one of Adweek's 2020 Women Trailblazers

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In the early 1990s, Gabrielle Union was paying her way through college and studying for the LSATs when an internship at a Los Angeles modeling agency led to the opportunity to make $120 a day to be the “Black girl” in teen magazines. She said yes—after all, it beat her $7-an-hour gig at a local bookstore. And that decision changed her life forever. Union went on to star in sitcoms like Moesha as well as three of the highest-grossing teen movies of all time, including 2000’s Bring It On.

But life took yet another turn in November 2019, when Union was dismissed from her role as a judge on America’s Got Talent.

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This story first appeared in the July 13, 2020, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.