Gabrielle Union’s Favorite Books, the Art of Storytelling, and Her Creative Process

Gabrielle Union shines in front of the camera, but what many people might not know is she is a force behind the camera too. Known for roles in Bring It On, Think Like a Man, and Bad Boys, Union is a household name who has built an impressive career. When not on screen, she can be spotted on red carpets with husband Dwayne Wade or sharing adorable family moments on Instagram. Behind the scenes, Union dedicates herself to reading, writing, and producing films—all extensions of her creative process.  

“When it comes to art and our creative process, it’s not about everyone getting it. If they don’t get it, they can Google just like I did,” Union says. “When you’re telling a story, the more we lean into the specificity of who we are, who these characters are, where they live, it’s so much more interesting.”

In this week’s episode of Balanced Black Girl, host Les Alfred connected with Union to discuss books, creativity, and diverse storytelling. From a Women Crush Wednesday post on social media to now a podcast guest, this episode is a full circle moment as Union and Alfred are finally meeting in person. Listen to the full episode to hear their conversation.

Gabrielle Union on the Creative Process and the Art of Storytelling

A Love of Reading

Union didn’t hesitate when asked about her reading style: historical fiction. “I’m a student of history. If you ever see me just on my phone, I’m just Googling random facts, ancient civilizations, it doesn’t matter. I’m just a really big history buff, and I love fiction, and if you can combine both of my loves. Get out of here!” 

Union’s parents passed on the love of reading to her and her siblings. As a kid, Union frequented bookstores and libraries, eventually becoming the librarian assistant at her high school. Among her favorites: Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody and all of the Judy Blume books. “That is really what got me more into history and historical biographies. It kind of just went from there.”

She describes her happy place as reading off in a corner somewhere: “I would say it’s a problem, but I’m a dork in that way. I have such a deep respect for actual books. I like the smell of the pages and taking care of the spines. I’m a purist in that sense.”

Translating Stories to the Small Screen

In 2023, Union produced and starred in the hit Netflix rom-com The Perfect Find. Union was also a producer on the feature film, The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway, about a 40-year-old divorced mother who embarks on a surprising romance with a younger boy band star. The script was written by Union’s longtime friend, Robinne Lee.

When selecting stories for adaptation, Union says, “I saw all the different incarnations of the books by the finished product. At first, I thought there was one way to look at this book. But I realized if men and women are looking at this differently, age groups are looking at this differently this is a movie. It was perfect.”

Union praises the creative process and genius of Lee for creating the book: “I love how she writes. I love how she thinks. I love the world that she builds. It’s one of the biggest movies in the history of Amazon—written by a Black woman and produced by a Black woman. So it worked out.”

Book Versus Film: Different Versions of the Same Story

As a book enthusiast, Union always tells people to read the book first. “The book and the movie are different. I always have to say: Please read the book first. Then, watch the movie. Hopefully, people will be able to appreciate them as individual entities.”

Alfred agrees about appreciating the difference between a book and a film and their ability to tell a story in different ways. “I do like to judge them separately or as individuals. If there are variations, I tell myself, ‘That’s what makes sense for this version of the story.’”

When you’re reading a book, you create an image in your head of how characters look and behave. “As you’re reading, you’re basically casting. It’s a very personal thing because it’s coming from your imagination. So when you see it on screen, you’re like, that’s not what they look like,” Union explains.

The Back-and-Forth Editing Process 

Producing The Perfect Find involved a creative tug-of-war regarding the ending of the film. She fought to preserve the book’s original conclusion. “I remember being obsessed with the book ending, but when it was time to adapt, some of the team said absolutely not. But this was my favorite part of the book because it’s not typical or cookie cutter,” Union says.

When editing a film and making cuts, Union says that the editing process is jarring. “It’s like somebody dissecting your baby and handing you back parts, and you’re supposed to love it,” Union says.

Sometimes, there is a push-and-pull between book authors and writers who are doing the film adaptation. The challenge is whether or not to make changes to a story or hold true to the original book. “It feels like you’re inviting someone in to insult you and something that is so near, dear and precious to you,” Union says.

Union’s goal is for writers and creatives to always be able to recognize their work at the end of the process. She communicates this with writers from the beginning: “I tell them that there are certain things that I’m not going to have any control over. I will do my best. I will fight every fight, but I’m not going to win them all. It’s not a dictatorship. Either you want to go on this ride and know I’m going to fight. I’m also telling you now I’m losing some things.’”

A Creative Journey 

While Union loves to create, she says she isn’t always compelled to share her ideas and stories with the world. Some ideas remain personal—and that’s valuable too.

“During the creative process, it feels like the world is my oyster. I can literally create any world. On the other side, when you have to give notes and wrangle in someone’s imagination, it feels stifling that side of the creative process. It feels like the antithesis of creativity,” Union says.

“As I’ve gotten older and I’ve traveled the world, I’m looking at the world through a 6-year-old’s eyes and Zaya’s eyes. I see things I’ve never seen before. Colors look even different. How I would describe things, it’s just very different.”