Gabrielle Union Says 'The World Isn't Going To End' If We See More Diversity In Women On TV

Gabrielle Union Says 'The World Isn't Going To End' If We See More Diversity In Women On TV
Gabrielle Union arrives at the 16th annual InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Gabrielle Union arrives at the 16th annual InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Gabrielle Union has a brilliant strategy for getting more women of color on TV: Put more women of color on TV.

In a Jan. 25 interview with Yahoo, the 42-year-old actress talked about her BET show "Being Mary Jane" and the importance of seeing different types of women on screen.

When Yahoo's Kayleen Schaefer noted that "Being Mary Jane" is often measured against Shonda Rhimes' hit TV show "Scandal." While both shows feature strong female leads, "Being Mary Jane" is about a successful cable news anchor navigating through life while "Scandal" is a political melodrama.

Union explained why this comparison is so problematic. "What bugs me is that they’re making the comparison because they’re both shows that star black women," Union said. "It’s such apples and oranges. It’s like comparing 'True Detective' and 'Law & Order' -- you would never do that."

She offered a simple remedy that Hollywood hasn't quite been able to figure out. "What it says is we need so much more diversity in TV," she went on. "We need shows starring women of color or women of a certain age or women who aren’t a size two. If that happens, the world isn’t going to end." Preach.

After marrying NBA star Dwayne Wade in August 2014, Union caught some heat from the public when she asked her husband to sign a prenup. "For women in Hollywood, when they’re coupling, everything is about the brand," she told Yahoo. "Everything is about latching on to a rising star, so you can kick your heels up. That’s never been my story, ever."

Like any woman in or out of the spotlight who is successful, Union said she just wants to make it clear how hard she's worked throughout her career. "Now that it’s time to get married to a man who happens to play basketball and has done well for himself, I want to make it clear that I have in no way hitched my wagon to his star," she said. "I have my own wagon and star."

Head over to Yahoo to read the rest of Union's interview.

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