Gabrielle Union reflected on being passed up for a role because of her looks.
via: Vibe
Union is looking back on a career-changing moment from her past. The 51-year-old reflected on a moment when she was passed on for a role due to her appearance.
“Years ago, I was up for a big job,” detailed the actress to Netflix’s Strong Black Lead platform Sunday. “And after numerous callbacks, and studio tests, it was down to just the two of us.”
“I was told I didn’t get the part because ‘She’s just prettier than you.’ For someone who had low self-esteem, it just felt like there was no place for me, for my kind of Blackness.”
In her reflection, the Perfect Find star explains how the moment impacted her outlook on the entertainment industry.
“It pretty much killed that confident pep in my step, and I was equating my looks to my ability to do the job,” expressed Union. “I recognize that if I had gotten that job and I was around people like that, my soul would be worn down. I only want to be in spaces where I’m wanted.“
She added, ‘When someone shows you, by how they negotiate, what they think your real value is, that opening number, you have to take that as a sign. Because in their perfect world, you would accept that low number. And as you then have to negotiate your value, it reveals a lot about the experience that you’re about to embark on.”
Fans took to the comment section to speculate what project turned Union down. A popular theory is that the role in question is the lead on the drama series Scandal which went to Kerry Washington. In the past, Union has opened up on auditioning for the character of Olivia Pope.
“Going in for ‘Scandal,’ Shonda [Rhimes] empowered every Black woman who came through her door,” shared Union in 2013 with ESSENCE per HuffPost. “Even if I don’t get the next job, or the next five jobs, I don’t want to be treated less than how Shonda treated me.”
She continued, “I was one of the last five or ten to audition…when Kerry got it, I congratulated her. Now after each episode, I’m leading the charge, like Gladiators, stand up! I’m obsessed with the show…”
