Gabrielle Union Says She Won't Tolerate ''Anti-Blackness'' After America's Got Talent Firing

Gabrielle Union is using the America's Got Talent drama as a tool to teach women it's okay to be "unapologetically" yourself

By Cydney Contreras Dec 12, 2019 9:54 PMTags
Watch: Julianne Hough & Gabrielle Union Leave "America's Got Talent"

Gabrielle Union is staying true to herself.

In recent weeks, the actress and her appearance have been the subject of many discussions in Hollywood, and not for the right reasons. In late Nov., it was revealed Gabrielle and Julianne Hough were not asked to renew their contracts for another season of America's Got Talent. At the time, the reasons seemed innocent enough, but the motivations for their departure became crystal clear when outlets revealed concerning events that happened behind the scenes of the competition show.

According to insiders, there were numerous times in which there was racial and gender discrimination. And on more than one occasion, Union was told her hairstyles were "too black" for their audience.

Since then, NBC and the show producers have reached out to Gabrielle and others to see what actions can be taken to remedy the situation. 

Meanwhile, Gabrielle is standing by her decision to wear hairstyles regardless of how "black" they may be. On Thursday, she wrote on Instagram, "Unapologetically me. Be comfortable and confident with your whole ass self. It might give others the fluuuxxx but never stop being you."

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She continued, "You can shine on your own terms. And if you got something to say [shrug emoji] I dont take notes rooted in anti-blackness. I love me as i am."

Many celebrities are applauding the way Union handled herself during and after her time on the allegedly "toxic" show. Actress Eva Longoria said Gabrielle's experience is an example of the "toxic workplace culture" that continues to pervade Hollywood, while Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo described the controversy as a wake-up call for actresses across the board. 

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"This is a teaching moment.. It's important..white girls I'm talking to you..whether you truly understand what racial injustice is or not..that you stand with your sisters on the front lines," she explained. "Don't cut side deals & don't not get involved because it isn't your issue..because it is workplace cultures will continue to be toxic until there is unity and solidarity among all women."

Regarding the incident, a spokesperson for NBC and production company Fremantle denied the report, telling E! News in a statement, "America's Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT's enduring popularity. NBC and the producers take any issues on set seriously."