Gabrielle Union Talks Starring Role In ‘Being Mary Jane’ [Video]

Gabrielle Union is set for her new TV movie, Being Mary Jane, which premieres on BET on Tuesday. The 40-year-old recently opened up about her new gig, which she says is “sort of a secret dream come true.”

Union hasn’t been around the big screen too often lately, but she couldn’t pass up this role as it gives her another chance to expand within a unique character.

“If you loved me for one thing and may not have liked me in something else, this role gives the audience a chance to see that I can do more than one thing,” she said about playing the role, according to The Associated Press.

Her latest box office flick was Think Like A Man in 2012, which is also set for a sequel in 2014. In the meantime, she’ll be featured in Being Mary Jane on BET which is also preparing to become a TV series in 2014.

Gabrielle Union is known for her roles in 10 Things I Hate About You and Bad Boys 2, but she hasn’t been in the spotlight for quite some time. That could all change after the release of her newest flick, which she studied heavily in preparation for the role.

She watched journalist Soledad O’Brien’s documentary series, Black In America, to get a feel for playing the talk show host in the BET film.

“Her series took up a lot of space on my DVR,” she said. “I love how (O’Brien) delivers information. There’s a news anchor’s cadence that’s different from an actor’s cadence. If you do it wrong, you can come off cold or disconnected to the subject. I’ve been able to grow with the character in that manner.”

Union will play the role of successful talk show host Mary Jane Paul, and the movie will also dive into her personal life off the camera.

Do you think Gabrielle Union took the role in Being Mary Jane to expand her resume within the movie industry?

[Image via LGEPR]