Gabrielle Union Had Dreams Of Being A "Video Hoe" & Auditioned For "California Love"

Union recalled once auditioning to star in the visual to Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, and Roger Troutman's classic.

BYErika Marie
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Not every A-lister had dreams of being the next great movie star. Many, like Gabrielle Union, apparently, wanted to be the "it girl" in Rap videos. She's celebrated for her film and television roles, but Union recently sat down with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter on The Old Man & The Three podcast where she spoke about her dreams of fame early on in her career.

“I got this internship in my last year of school, and I was like the office gofer, help, or whatever, and I worked in the kid's department," she said. "So we were working with Hayden Panetierre and Jessica Biel and Shane West and all of those young child actors."

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"I’d talk to their parents and managers and whatnot, and when my internship ended, they were like, ‘Would you ever consider like, being one of our clients and us representing you.”

The actress said she "had such low self-esteem" but admitted that she "wanted to be a video hoe so bad." Union had no aspirations of being in films, television shows, or commercials. "I wanted to be the chosen video hoe. That's what we called them then," she added. "Now they are video vixens, IG models, yeah, but I wanted to be a hot b*tch."

Apparently, she lacked "big boobs or an ass" so she didn't feel as desired as other women. "I was literally auditioning for like, 'California Love' video with Tupac." Union said she booked other gigs quickly, but they weren't aligning with her music video goals. "Just wanted to be in the 'California Love' video," she joked.

It seems to have worked out for the best, all things considering. Watch the clip below.


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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.