00:00Now it's a sit down with Gabrielle Union Wade.
00:02Hi, Gabrielle.
00:03We saw you were just in Japan.
00:05How is 2026 treating you so far?
00:08We were in Japan.
00:09Yeah, my husband planned this trip.
00:12I had been gone in Rome filming and, you know,
00:17my husband planned this whole thing,
00:19which that's not his usual.
00:22So I wasn't sure.
00:23I was just like, you know what?
00:23I'm going to go with it.
00:24It was like we were just two kids running around Japan.
00:27And luckily, you know, we had some friends that were also in town
00:30that we could spend New Year's Eve with.
00:32But it was awesome.
00:33It was kind of life-changing in many ways.
00:36We know you've been experiencing one new thing lately.
00:39I mean, the big N-word, menopause.
00:42What are some ways this new chapter has surprised you?
00:45You know, it challenges you to look at life differently
00:48and not as an ending, but as a beginning.
00:52When you're dealing with, you know, hot flashes,
00:55you know, whether it's the first time or the hundredth,
00:58everyone is different.
01:00There are no two that are the same.
01:03It forces you to shift.
01:06And initially, I felt shame.
01:09I felt like my value as a woman was diminishing.
01:13I felt very isolated.
01:15And over time, now, I feel empowered.
01:18And I'm going to talk about it.
01:19And I'm not going to lose a thing.
01:21You and Dwayne have been married for almost 12 years.
01:25But tell us something you've only recently learned
01:27about your man.
01:28Who knew?
01:29He's, you know, like a full-on photographer.
01:32He developed a passion for photography.
01:34And now he looks like paparazzi when we go anywhere.
01:38He's got, like, four cameras.
01:40And he takes lessons with local photographers in every city
01:46so he can learn from different, you know, pros.
01:48So he must be taking all your Insta photos then.
01:51No.
01:52And that, like, he's shooting buildings,
01:54like architecture, very well.
01:58I shoot him like I love him.
01:59You know, I shoot him like I am attracted to him.
02:02He shoots me like he is down for sabotage.
02:06And we're going to work on this.
02:08Like, baby, that is sabotage.
02:09That is straight double chin.
02:11Like, what are you doing right now?
02:12Bring it up.
02:13We're obsessed with your and your family's advocacy.
02:15You and Dwayne are reshaping history in powerful ways,
02:19especially when it comes to your stepdaughter Ziya and her journey.
02:22What is a piece of advice you have for anyone navigating
02:25how to best be there for their children,
02:27especially with the world we're living in today?
02:29As long as you lead with love
02:32and that your child knows that you will be there no matter what,
02:35and we can figure this out together,
02:38and then I'm going to make mistakes,
02:39but please correct me.
02:40Read me for filth, you know,
02:42so I can learn to not make the same mistakes more than once.
02:45But as long as you start with,
02:47my child is not disposable,
02:49kind of can't go wrong after that.
02:51And just lead with love and respect.
02:53And your child's peace and safety
02:56should be your number one concern,
02:58less with how are the neighbors
03:00or whoever family members going to react.
03:04They should be reacting to the love that you have
03:06and the dedication that you have to your child.
03:07Ziya is now 18 and totally crushing life.
03:12Do you think you'll ever get used to the idea
03:14of a kiddo flying the coop?
03:16You know, because she's out of state,
03:18and so it's a little nerve-wracking, you know,
03:21when you're used to being able to sort of track
03:24their whereabouts.
03:26She's found other people who are just as
03:30into research and data and astrobiology,
03:35because I'm going to say that we probably
03:37failed in that department
03:39because she would say things,
03:40and we're like, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
03:42And I'm just trying to Google under the table.
03:43I have no idea what you're talking about.
03:44She's working with some of the world's leading biologists,
03:47so she's very, very happy where she's at.
03:51We love that little reunion you had with Kirsten Dunst.
03:54What did you immediately think when you asked to do it?
03:57Well, I got to hang out with her.
03:59Luckily, our kids are around the same age,
04:01and they have friends in common, so it's, you know,
04:06motherhood has sort of brought us together
04:08in a different way than, you know,
04:10when we shot Bring It On, she was an actual child,
04:12and now she's a mom, and it's funny
04:15because we were talking about some of her mom's decisions
04:17and how she was raised and what you took
04:19and what you left behind.
04:20I don't know.
04:21It's like we're growing up together.
04:23Okay, to finish up,
04:24we're going to put 10 seconds on the clock.
04:25You can promote anything you want.
04:27Ready, set, go.
04:29Excited to partner with Bayer to bring attention
04:32to severe to moderate hot flashes
04:34and that, you know, encouraging people
04:36to talk to their healthcare providers
04:38so they can figure out what best options are for them
04:40because there are options.
04:43Gabrielle, thank you so much for stopping by today.
04:46No, thank you.
04:46I appreciate everything.
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