Gabrielle Union Dwayne Wade, 2013 NBA Champion's Girlfriend Stars in 'Being Mary Jane'
Gabrielle Union, the actress who rose to overnight stardom when she played alongside Will Smith in 2003's Bad Boys 2, stars in a new TV series, BET's Being Mary Jane, which will premiere tonight.
Union, 40, plays the lead character in BET's original drama series, which will premiere as a two-hour movie. The film is about Mary Jane Paul, a successful television anchor, who struggles with balancing her career with her relationships and family. It was created by the producers of BET's hit series The Game.
The upcoming weekly drama will begin with the first of eight episodes on January, 2014.
In a recent interview, union shared that she was close to landing the role of Olivia Pope on ABC's hit television show Scandal, which stars Kerry Washington. She said she may have missed the opportunity, but almost getting the part convinced her that playing a lead in a television series was in her future.
"I said to myself, 'Oh my God, these roles are out there,'" Union told Associated Press. "It showed me that you don't have to settle. Luckily, the success of her and the show bred more work. Just from the audition process, I knew that I couldn't go backward."
Union said she's looking forward to evlovling with her new project.
"I didn't get Scandal, but I got something better - which is my own show," Union said. "It's all about building a legacy. This new opportunity is something I feel that can grow."
Union recently appeared on the BET network on Sunday when she presented an award at the 2013 BET Awards. She walked the red carpet beforehand with her boyfriend, Miami Heat player Dwayne Wade. The two-time NBA champion was one of the BET Awards' honorees and received the Humanitarian Award that night.
Enstars reported last month that the couple may be engaged and secretly planning a wedding. A source revealed that Wade proposed to Union in front of several Miami Heat teammates and close friends in the VIP section at Story nightclub in South Beach Miami, right after his team won the 2013 NBA championship,Media Takeout reported on June 21.
Gabriellee Union's Being Mary Jane will premiere on Tuesday, July 2 at 10:30 p.m. EST/9:30 Central on BET.
In the preview trailer below, Union shares a scene with her on-and-off boyfriend, played by Omari Hardwick, (Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls, TV series Saved And Dark Blue). He appears at her home unannounced, and she is upset that he has not been in touch with her regualarly. Watch the short clip for Being Mary Jane below.
