gabrielle-union

Just like the bold manpower behind the Civil Rights Movement, Nat Turner's slave revolt would not have been possible without the help of women. As the history books narrate Turner's deadly rebellion of 1831, he accumulated a mass following of nearly 50 slaves to enact his killing spree of whites throughout Virgina. The women involved in the uprising and those closest to Turner are very rarely mentioned in this monumental moment in American history. "What made Nat Turner who he was as a man were these women who supported him, who surrounded him," said The Birth of a Nation actress, Penelope Ann Miller. "They were strong and they were independent in spite of their circumstances." Fox Searchlight released a nearly four-minute featurette titled, "Women of Rebellion" ahead of next week's theatrical release of, The Birth of a Nation. Cast members like Aja Naomi King, Aunjanue Ellis, and Gabrielle Union open up about the feminine bond that ultimately shaped Turner who became a notable preacher. "It spoke to me...like no other script in my career has ever spoken to me. I had to do it," Union said. As the exclusive clips show tortuous acts by slave owners, Turner's character is often seen grappling with the harsh realities that are happening right before his eyes. As a man, he appears defenseless against the forces that brutalize enslaved women. Union continued, "These scenes really show how voiceless and powerless black women were and are over our bodies in our narratives." Each woman has an untold story and the stars of the film say they're honored to portray these unsung figures. Ellis, who plays Turner's mother said, "There's no greater joy than being able to tell stories of women who are a part of my culture, whose voices have been taken away from them and given the responsibility to give that voice back to them in some sort of way." Check out more of the interviews in the video above. The Birth of a Nation opens up in theaters, October 7th. Loving Blavity's articles? Sign up for our daily...

When summer's out, it's definitely time to play! That's exactly what NBA BFFs Lebron James, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade are using this extra time to do. They're spending their much deserved vacation traveling off the coast of Mallorca, Spain with their beautiful wives, and sharing some tidbits of turn-up and black love all over Snapchat. As the vacation began, preparations were made to ensure that it would be one that no one would be able to forget. These days, no function is complete without a custom Snapchat geofilter, and James used a viral photo from his crew's turn-up last year as the inspiration. The couples, Lebron James and Savannah Brinson, Chris Paul and Jada Crawley and Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union, soon got settled and wasted no time getting into the water and inviting us in on the fun via social media. Wade's snap story & geo filter😂 pic.twitter.com/hcuLqxtWMR — OTN (@OnlyTheNBA) June 29, 2016 Then the drinks started flowing... Dwyane Wade likes to have a few drinks with his friends, just like us! pic.twitter.com/3dSRuHr6py — Alysha Tsuji (@AlyshaTsuji) June 29, 2016 UPDATE: They're playing Heads Up. No banana boat ... yet. pic.twitter.com/4B2FMHCWsP — Alysha Tsuji (@AlyshaTsuji) June 28, 2016 An informal dinner turned into a minor version of Trap Karaoke as the couples belted out hip-hop and R&B classics around the table. Gabrielle Union takes us through dinner with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, & CP3. #AndTheirWives #Cavs #Heat #Clippers pic.twitter.com/2tvOK10vsp — Cavs Nation (@CavsNationNet) June 30, 2016 What happened next proved that these celebs party just like we do on vacation. LeBron put on his own show, no one could resist a good line dance and black love was flourishing all over the place. LeBron James, Chris Paul, & Dwyane Wade enjoying their time on a boat. #BrothersForLife pic.twitter.com/kFokuD9RbW — Cavs Nation (@CavsNationNet) June 30, 2016 No, really. The love was definitely on another level. Here's how Dwyane Wade's snapchat story ended last night. Never give up your dreams, kids. https://t.co/ELQr3peEE9 — Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) June 30, 2016 Gabrielle Union showed us once again why everyone wants to be her best friend when she proved she could hang with the boys. Gabrielle Union singing Fetti Wap with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on vacay. #cavs #heat #teammates? pic.twitter.com/j8OHoCyxJo — Cavs Nation (@CavsNationNet) June 30, 2016 Then gave us this impression of Desiigner that was so on point, you couldn't help but laugh. Gabby killed the 🐼 impression at the end tho pic.twitter.com/uXibKweAqg — Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) June 30, 2016 This is definitely what squad goals look like. As the summer vacay continues on, stay on top of all the shenanigans by adding Lebron (kingjames), Gabrielle (GabUnionWade), Dwayne (mrdwyanewade), and Paul (cpiii) on Snapchat. You may find a little inspiration for your next summer getaway. Where do you want to travel to on your next summer adventure? Share your destination picks in the comments. Loving Blavity’s content? Sign up for our daily...

NBA player Dwyane Wade graced the cover of ESPN Magazine's July edition...and OMG. This photographer made sure to show ALL the right angles. DWade overcame his fear of posing nude in the 2016 #BodyIssue. Check out his photos here: https://t.co/ONkQO8OJpZ pic.twitter.com/BAUbQquOox — ESPN (@espn) June 21, 2016 In an interview, the 3-time NBA champion discusses is insecurities with his body, saying he's always had a fear of being naked in front of others and being judged. "Someone may look at me and think, 'Why would you have insecurity?' Well, this is real life and I'm human, and these are the things that I deal with that many others might deal with," he said. Wade explained for the longest time he wouldn't even take his shirt off, saying, "I never even wanted to take my shirt off when we were at the swimming pool or outside during water fights. The only people who went into the pool with their shirts on were the kids who were overweight, and me." He talks about how he got over his fears and embraced his true self, and also highlighted the importance of healthy eating and how his body had changed over the past few years. Wade was asked to participate in the ESPN body issue seven years ago but declined. Thank goodness he changed his mind this round...because OH MY GOD. Of course, the entire Internet is obsessed with these pictures Dwayne Wade on that ESPN mag #BodyIssue . I wasn't ready! pic.twitter.com/Ch3idccg0P — coconut oil mami (@hi_sihle) June 21, 2016 Dwayne Wade's body, ma gahd! pic.twitter.com/h8QAy45xsG — Gugulethu Mhlungu (@GugsM) June 21, 2016 @1942bs @DwyaneWade I would him to be my man but I love Gabrielle Union too much lmao — Dex. (@damourhaine) June 21, 2016 Gabrielle Union-Wade is letting the world know that her thirst for her husband is so real. Why dontcha circle back to the house... meet ya in 10 😍😍😍 https://t.co/G998hi6D8O — Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) June 21, 2016 Watch his interview behind-the-scenes of the shoot below: Never miss a headline! Sign up for our daily...

The official trailer for Naet Parker's The Birth of a Nation was just released — and it's giving us feels. After slaying at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Parker bypassed Netflix to sell the film to Fox Searchlight for a whopping $17.5 million. The film follows the historic slave rebellion lead by preacher Nat Turner in 1831. The cast includes Gabrielle Union, Armie Hammer, Jackie Earle Haley, Aja Naomi King and Mark Boone Jr.  This trailer includes music from Andra Day, featuring her song "Rise Up." Needless to say, we will be running to theaters when the film is released on October 7th.   Never miss a headline! Sign up for our daily...

With powerhouse duo Mara Brock and Salim Akil moving to Warner Brothers, another group is coming in to take over Being Mary Jane.  BET's Being Mary Jane will now be executive produced by Will Packer and Erica Shelton Kodish. Packer and Kodish both come to BET with strong resumes. Packer's resume includes Ride Along, Think Like a Man as well the History Channel's upcoming reboot of Roots and the new ABC comedy Uncle Buck, coming this summer. Erica Shelton Kodish, who will also assume the role of showrunner, just ended at The Good Wife.  "Will’s a master producer and storyteller and Erica is a dynamic writer whose experience in developing complex, multi-dimensional women makes her the ideal scribe to continue Mary Jane’s journey," said Stephen Hill, BET's president of programming. Kodish is thrilled about the opportunity, saying, "I’m honored to have an opportunity to partner with Will Packer, Gabrielle Union, and BET to create stories forBeing Mary Jane. Mara Brock Akil has created a show that has a unique ability to address issues relevant to black women, and I’m thrilled to be in a position to tell those stories.” The premiere date of Season 4 of Being Mary Jane has not yet been announced. Let's see where Being Mary Jane takes us next! What do you want to see in the show's fourth season? Tell us in the comments!  READ NEXT: Black women and the media: Why we can have diverse stories,...

On Friday morning, Fox Searchlight Films debuted the first trailer for the Sundance Film Festival hit, The Birth of a Nation. Although the film borrows it's name from D.W. Griffith's infamous 1915 film The Birth of a Nation, it tells a different story. The film chronicles Nat Turner's 1831 slave-uprising and stars triple-threat writer, director and producer Nate Parker. Aja Naomi King (Michaela Prat, How to Get Away with Murder) and Gabrielle Union also star in the film. As you can imagine, the trailer is powerful, and for some it may just bring you to tears. Don't hit play if you're not ready to be moved. What did you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below.  READ NEXT: Wizards fire head coach Randy Wittman after missing...

Stacey Dash really upset the masses when she came for black programming during the height of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. When Gabrielle Union was asked about Dash's remarks, she had this amazing answer, which sums it all up nicely. Gabrielle Union was asked about Stacy "Clueless" Dash pic.twitter.com/B04lfFpSfV — KANYE ASADA (@gilossal) January 26, 2016 Welp. Congratulations to the whole cast and crew on The Birth of a Nation, the best is yet to come! READ NEXT: Nate Parker inks historic Sundance Film Festival...

Being Mary Jane, the rom-com-tragedy by Mara Brock Akil, the creator of Girlfriends, premiered last year on BET and kicked off it’s second season a few of weeks ago. Gabrielle Union plays Mary Jane, a sleek, sexy and successful talk show host on the surface, but behind closed doors - she’s a post-it-note obsessed, sperm-stealing mistress. There are a lot of comparisons to ABC’s Scandal (Black woman lead, terrible decision making in their love life while being on top of their fields professionally, banging wardrobes and homes), but for the most part that’s where it ends. The cast and political storylines give Scandal the edge over Being Mary Jane. By enjoying the juicy, sexy drama, Black women are told they are encouraging bad behavior and striving to be a woman of low morals and values. There is nothing about either of these shows that I, or most working, educated women aspire to be. I can watch House of Cards without wanting to create diabolical political plots. There are many reasons why I shouldn’t like this show: The recycled narrative (unlucky in love making women do crazy things) The storylines The acting The characters (the wife asking Mary Jane if she always ... um ... arrived while sleeping with her husband...REALLY?) But the biggest reason? How I sometimes feel about myself after I watch an episode (or the entire season). I see too much of myself in this fictional character and it bothers me. From the façade of having it all and being put together, the complicated interesting family relationships, the questionable romantic decisions, a contentious work environment — it all sometimes hits too close to home. But it’s her moments of weakness & loneliness that hit me the hardest. The type of actions we don’t want to admit we've done to ourselves, much less our friends. When we do stupid things that betray how smart we are. When knowing better doesn’t equal doing better. Black women are supposed to be strong, fierce and independent all the time. There’s rarely any room, in real life or in fictional television it seems, for being less than that without being reduced to a villain. Wanting and craving something or someone so badly that you lose sight of your morals, values and ethics? To be so distracted by emptiness and silence that you engage your fives senses in any way possible? To try, fail and try again. To be firm with your no, remove all traces of them from your life because you know you should, not because you want to? To wonder what is wrong with you and have no answers? Life is hard enough without asking these hard-hitting questions of oneself because of a tv show I don’t even want to like. It’s hard enough to be me, much less draw parallels to Being Mary Jane - but like a moth to a flame, in search of answers and a supremely over-the-top escape, maybe that’s why I’ll continue to watch. Want more posts from Amy? Sign up for our email list To see more goodness. [mc4wp_form] ...