Actress Gabrielle Union sat down with Honey Mag recently and discussed a number of topics, including her role as Zoey in the new show “Flash Forward,” her marriage to football player Chris Howard (they divorced in 2001) and what she considers her best features:
Honey Magazine: What’s ahead for you when Flash Forward returns?
Zoey kind of becomes unhinged. Zoey goes off on everyone—Courtney’s [B. Vance] character, Joe’s [Fiennes] character. She tries to save her man by any means necessary. She’s convinced it’s not looking good for him and she’s gonna do whatever she can to save him. I always joke if I had this kind of passion and conviction when I was married, maybe I wouldn’t be divorced! The way Zoey is with this man, and they’re not even married yet, the level of dedication is insane.
What did you learn about relationships from your marriage?
That you can’t sweat the small stuff. I spent so much of my marriage upset. Things like the toilet seat being up or down shouldn’t define your day. You put so much on every little thing. You look at your parents like they were infallible and perfect and you realize now that they made a lot of mistakes and they’re just people. I’m giving the men in my life the same consideration. They’re just human.
Would you want to see into your future?
Hell, yes! I have bills. I want to know if I’m going to be able to pay them. In Janet’s flash forward she sees herself having this baby and she never even thought about children. I don’t think about children. I’m 37 and I don’t think about wanting kids at all or look at babies and go ‘Ooh!’ I have more of a chance of adopting animals on the street.
What do you consider your best features?
My teeth. I thank my orthodontist. My eyes, my laugh, my generosity. For lack of a better word, my fellowship. I love bringing people together. I love connecting with people.
What don’t you like about yourself?
I tend to procrastinate. I obsess over things I have no control over. I’m judgmental at times. That’s kind of it. There aren’t too many things I don’t like about myself. What I don’t like I try to change. I don’t return e-mails and I hate talking on the phone. I text. I make my mother and father text. We’re not allowed phones that ring on the set so when I’m here I text.
Can women have it all, do you think?
Yes. I don’t believe in a glass ceiling. My mom did it all, had three kids, got her college degree while she had kids–I sat in the classroom at the University of Nebraska. I was never raised with the idea that you can’t have it all. My parents got divorced after almost 30 years but I don’t think she would have attributed that to her work. But as much passion as she put into her work and her family she didn’t leave enough for herself. We can have it all but sometimes we neglect ourselves, our health. I’ve met so many cancer survivors, all these women who run companies who say, ‘I had it all but what I forgot was me. I didn’t go to the doctor or take a spa day or take time for myself.’ Call me selfish, but I can’t be everything to you if I’m not good to myself. So I make sure I’m all together in body and spirit.