Why Gabrielle Union Felt ‘Entitled’ to Cheat on Her First Husband

Gabrielle Union had no remorse for her infidelity in her first marriage. Many familiar with the actress may not be familiar with her marriage to former NFL player Chris Howard as the actress has been with Dwyane Wade since 2009. The former couple was married from 2001 to 2006. She’s been open about why their marriage ended, noting Howard’s infidelity throughout not just their marriage, but also their dating relationship. But up until recently, she didn’t mention her mishaps in their union. She says she cheated to get back at Howard for his indiscretions.

“A part of it was keeping up with his activities, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what you’re doing? Oh, you’re gonna feel this one,” she said during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast. The Bring it On star felt justified in her actions because she was the higher earner in the marriage. “I just felt entitled to it, as well. I was paying all the bills. I was working my a– off and I felt like that’s what comes, the spoils of riches,” she added. “Like my dad before me, whoever has the most gets to do whatever the hell they want, is what I thought. It was just dysfunctional from day one.”

In her memoir, We’re Going to Need More Wine, Union claimed things were doomed from the moment he asked for her hand in marriage, noting the proposal was anything but a fairytale. “I spent the whole day at the spa, and when I got back to his house, there was a rose petal path from the front door to the bedroom,” she wrote. “At the end was Chris, down on one knee. He had a bucket of KFC on the floor, and he was eating KFC potato wedges with one hand while holding a ring in the other.” 

But that’s not all. She wrote that less than 24 hours after the proposal, she “discovered a message on Chris’ computer that hinted at an affair.” But she said “I Do” anyway, and the cheating persisted.