Gabrielle’s Union is to keep the truth about her maturity, especially in the areas of marriage, infidelity and needing confirmation. That conversation happened with the actor Dax Shepard on the 2023 first episode of his podcast Armchair specialist.
Over half of the interview, Gabrielle talked about her ‘dysfunctional’ first marriage to Chris Howard. Here’s what the actress had to say.
Shepard and Union are discussing Gabrielle’s filming experience Bad boy 2 in Miami. She explained that it was a fun time and her co-stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith sure she was treated well.
Gabby is in her mid-30s and married to Howard, but admits she hasn’t “received the wife of the year award” during that time. Shepard continued by explaining guilt in his duel and lack of it because of some of his unfaithful behavior.
Gabrielle replied:
Gabrielle says: “In our first marriage, neither of us felt that the marriage would get in the way of our dating. “Part of it was like keeping up with his activities, like, ‘Oh, is that what you’re doing? You will feel this.’ And I just feel entitled to it because I’ve paid all the bills. I worked my ass off and I felt like that was what was to come, the spoils of wealth and like my father before, whoever had the most could do whatever they wanted. I think. It was just dysfunctional from day one.
Gabrielle Union in guilt over Chris Howard’s infidelity and seeking authenticity
As the conversation continued, Shepard and Union chatted about their past experiences of cheating and guilt. Union says she wishes she felt more.
“I wish I had more guilt for some of that. I think, it’s just, it’s a stupid relationship that should never come out of the dating stage.”
Gabrielle said she attended gifted therapy with Howard. During the first session, the therapist is said to have told them that she had no idea how they got through the date. Additionally, the therapist suggests that they seek to “reconcile in a friendly manner,” says Gabby. Their therapist added that the previous couple had “no common ground, no morals, no values,” except for the others.
Shepard made jokes about how they liked other people and had that in common.
But Union says:
“I really want to be validated and there are certain types of men who like and want me. It makes me feel worthy and good, valuable and deserving.
As of Wednesday, Howard has not given a new interview. However, Gabby’s revelations aren’t entirely new – she previously talked about her frosty relationship with Howard in her 2017 memoir. We’ll need more wine. In the message, the actress shared her feelings of insecurity during the 2001 wedding.
Gabrielle Union says men can be great friends too: ‘It’s a trade’
Union admitted that ‘in hindsight’ she really needed something from the men she had cheated on that she wasn’t getting from herself or her marriage.
But she says men also benefit. Add that, “Men can be just as big in the group, if not more than women, so that’s a trade-off.”
On the topic of finding authenticity, the actress added that it takes a lot of time and energy to be a cheater.
“I don’t go through the world the same way, but I also recognize that hurt people hurt others and that hurt people look for other hurt people,” Union said.
That lifestyle is now remote in Gabby’s rearview mirror. She is currently married to Dwyane Wade since 2014. They welcomed daughter Kaavia, 4, in 2014 and also share three children from Wade’s previous relationships. Earlier in the interview, she talked about feeling both normal and overjoyed to talk about her husband in interviews.
When asked what was different about her relationship with Wade, she said:
“I thought it was no different at first. I think over time we both had to commit to ourselves and then through that inner work we randomly came back as people who were more healed and more open to understanding. our complicity in some of the challenges we created for ourselves.”
She added that through the healing process, they are now free to choose themselves and each other every day.
Here’s the full podcast interview:
