Gabrielle Union is opening up about having affairs while she was married to her first husband. And it sounds like she seriously didn’t regret going through with them at the time!
The Bring It On alum sat down with Dax Shepard and his co-host Monica Padman for the popular Armchair Expert podcast last week. During the chat, Dax asked the 50-year-old actress about her experiences early in life and in her career.
Related: Gabrielle Gets Candid About PTSD Following Teenage Sexual Assault At Gunpoint
The entire discussion was an interesting one, but most notable were the comments Dwyane Wade‘s wife made about her first marriage. See, Gabrielle was married to former NFL running back Chris Howard from 2001 through 2005. Their divorce was finalized in 2006. (Howard is shown with Union in the inset, above, in a red carpet photo from 2004.)
Their marriage was rocky, though. Union explained it to Shepard and Padman:
“In my first marriage, neither one of us felt like the marriage should get in the way of our dating.”
Yikes…
Gabrielle kept on, explaining how Howard was allegedly cheating on her. So, she felt it was acceptable for her to cheat on him in return. And she even admitted to feeling “entitled” to do so, since she was “paying all the bills” in the relationship:
“A part of it was like keeping up with his activities. I was like, ‘oh, that’s what you’re doing? Oh, you’re going to feel this one.’ I just felt entitled to it as well. I was paying all the bills and I was working my ass off. It was just dysfunctional from day one.”
Damn!! That’s definitely a cold way of looking at things. But as the We’re Going to Need More Wine author explained, she felt at the time that she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. That was “the spoils of riches,” as she put it to Dax.
Gabrielle added:
“Like my dad before me, whoever has the most gets to do whatever the hell they want, is what I thought.”
Looking back on her failed marriage to the now-47-year-old former football player, Union regretted that it ever happened.
As she explained, the pair had little in common for the long run and should have never gotten past dating:
“[We] had not one thing in common. No morals, no values, no scruples. … I wish I had more guilt for some of that. It was such a stupid relationship that should have never got out of the dating phase.”
Well, with time comes wisdom and perspective, we suppose. At least she knows all this now. Still, what a crazy revelation about affairs supposedly going both ways. Honestly, it all sounds toxic AF!!!
Related: This Guy Caught His Wife Cheating After Hearing Her On The Baby Monitor!
The Cheaper By The Dozen star went on to analyze the motivations behind that time in her life, too. She explained to Shepard that she was “horny for validation” at the time in her young career, adding:
“Having certain kinds of guys like me and want me … made me feel like I was worthy and good and valuable and deserving.”
But all that has changed now, thankfully!
Gabrielle concluded that she is now “my own mother f**king validation… and prize.” And her great relationship with Dwyane and their 4-year-old daughter Kaavia along with his three other children Zaire, 20, Zaya, 15, and Xavier, 9, from former relationships probably doesn’t hurt either!
Related: Breaking Down The ‘Good Morning America’ Cheating Scandal In Full!
BTW, according to Sports Illustrated vertical Inside The Heat, Howard made his own comment late last week on Union’s podcast appearance. The ex-husband took the high road in his response to her claims, saying:
“I wasn’t aware of any comments by my ex-wife Gabrielle Union on a podcast or anywhere else. What I do know is that she appears to be very happy with her new family and she’s continued to do very well with her career and activism. I wish her and her family nothing but the best.”
You can listen to Gabrielle’s full Armchair Expert podcast ep HERE.
Reactions, Perezcious readers??
[Image via Nicky Nelson/Dmitri Halkidis/WENN]
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