Gabrielle Union Keeps It Rolling
TV PREVIEW "Something the Lord Made" 9 p.m. Sunday on HBO.
If it seems like Gabrielle Union is all over the place, it's only because the actress is. The 30-year-old --- who appeared in three high-profile films last year: "Bad Boys II," "Cradle 2 the Grave," and "Deliver Us from Eva" --- has a supporting part in the current Jamie Foxx feature "Breakin' All the Rules."
On Sunday, she co-stars in the HBO drama, "Something the Lord Made, the true story of a black laboratory technician and a white surgeon (Mos Def and Alan Rickman) who pioneered heart surgery through a technique developed in the 1940s.
The model-turned-actress got her start on series TV, doing guest roles on shows from "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" to "The West Wing" and a recurring part on "7th Heaven." In 1994, she played a rarity: an African-American love interest (of Joey and Ross) on "Friends."
Union visited Atlanta's Morehouse Medical School this week for a preview showing of "Something the Lord Made," in which she portrays the wife of Mos Def's lab tech.
Q: How was it to work on this project? A: It is all that an actress can hope for. The experience was very organic. I was able to be creative. In comedies, you go for the joke, and embellish. Action films are about action. They're not about performances.
And if people didn't get it about Mos Def before, they'll get it now. He is amazing. Watching Mos and Alan [Rickman] was like watching a master class in acting. Q: Any particularly memorable moments during filming? A: There is a scene that I'm not in where Mos and another character are walking along the sidewalk, and because of the time [1930], they kept stepping off the curb to let white pedestrians pass.
Sometimes we forget what our ancestors and relatives had to endure. I watched take after take, and I became angry and then I just cried. Q: Was this role one you sought out? A: I was looking to do something different. It was one of those things where I hoped they like me, and they did. And the checks cleared! Q: You have three more feature films in various states of production. Are you working almost nonstop? A: Yes, I have the Samuel Jackson mentality, of working as much as possible. I think about Halle [Berry] and [Queen] Latifah, and they are the only two black actresses that work consistently. It scares me. Q: Did Halle's Oscar win have an impact for you? A: Halle's success has come more from blockbusters. But, yes, she is a source of inspiration. When she makes money, black actors make money. Q: You seemed to gain a higher profile after starring as a tough-cookie cheerleader in "Bring It On" (2000). Was that a mold you then had to break out of? Or have their been other challenges in landing parts? A: Well, it took time to get out of that aloof, ice princess mold. And they could look for a fresher face. It used to be there would be a call for "all ethnicities," and it meant "African-Americans." Now "all ethnicities" means, "black, Latin American, Indian, Asian, or Middle Eastern." There's a lot more competition. Q: Are there any directors you aspire to work with? A: I like Denzel [Washington] as a director. I like directors who have worked as actors. They know the experience. Q: How does working on a small film compare with a bigger studio production? A: It's more like a family [on a smaller film]. We call movies like "Eva" and "Brothers" FUBU films, "For us, by us." The filmmaking is a team effort. The black community in Hollywood is very small and close-knit. Everyone has a common goal: to make a two-hour movie in 30 days. We watch each others' scenes. There is a natural chemistry. You can't have a crazy diva walking around saying, "As long as I'm lit well . . ." Or, "I only care if I do well." [Whereas] there are people working in a production like "Bad Boys II" that you don't [even] meet. In [major studio] action movies, you have to [watch out for your own interests].
