Gabrielle Union has made appearances on numerous TV shows and motion pictures since gaining notoriety in the 2000s with Bring It On. However, Gabrielle has always been quite upfront with her fans, but this time she disclosed something that might sound surprising to many.

On the most recent episode of ‘Armchair Expert,’ Gabrielle Union and Dax Shepard were open about their prior affairs, with Shepard describing them as ‘identical’ in parts of their actions and defenses.

Shepard acknowledged that his relationship with his past actions is problematic, on the one hand, he feels terrible regret and shame for cheating. He acknowledged that in certain instances, he was also delighted with whatever he did it.

“Life’s short and it’s one trip here. It’s complicated for me. I’m glad I took some of the opportunities that came my way.”

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Union expressed a similar viewpoint, stating that she wished she had felt more regret for her own infidelity later in their relationship but instead considered it to be “just such a stupid relationship that should never have gotten out of the dating phase.” From 2001 through 2006, she was wed to NFL running back Chris Howard.

“I definitely was not getting Wife of the Year Awards. I had some focus issues, you know.” 

“In our first marriage, neither one of us felt like the marriage should get in the way of our dating.”

At the time, Union experienced it as a struggle to maintain her husband’s behavior while also overcoming her own sense of entitlement. But it went beyond merely attempting to punish him for the same actions he was taking. Union acknowledged that because she was working hard and making ends meet, she also felt “entitled” to cheat.

“I was like, Oh, that’s what you’re doing? You’re gonna feel this one.”

“I felt that that’s what comes, the spoils of riches. Like my dad before me, whoever has the most gets to do whatever the hell they want, is what I thought.”

Shepard described his partnership as a “nine-year open relationship,” saying it was a little different from other relationships. He believed that although he was always honest with the other women he would sleep with, Shepard occasionally used this as a weapon to evade moral obligations.

Shepard claimed that in some circumstances the women were aware of the outcome and were dejected. In other instances, he could see that the woman wasn’t really satisfied with anything.

“My ethics know she’s going along because it’s all she can have but it’s probably really not that cool for me to do this.”

They both acknowledged that they were relying on these people to fill a void inside of them. Shepard claimed he would sleep with women who were beneath him, but if they turned him down, he would belittle them for doing so.

Union acknowledged that she was “horny for validation and having certain kinds of guys like me and want me. That made me feel like I was worthy and good and valuable and deserving.”

Union claimed that although she and her husband had the good fortune to be able to have therapy, the therapist’s initial observation was that they shared nothing in common except “other people … so why don’t you just go be with other people.”

“We randomly came back around as more healed people and more open to understanding our complicity in some of the challenges that we created for ourselves.”

“We are way easier to point the finger, you did this to me, you caused that, this person did this, and it’s like, okay, we’re grown. I’m super-grown at this– I’m 40+ at this point and it’s like, I don’t want to live like this. None of this feels good and it’s exhausting and I want a love that feels like freedom.”

“Now we’re both free and we are free to choose ourselves and free to choose each other every day, which is a completely different sentiment.”

Union feels that she and Dwyane Wade have done the work or are continuing to do the work that is to approach their relationship from a healthier place of mental health, understanding, and self-worth when before all she knew was how to attract someone disordered to join her in her dysfunction. For further updates stay tuned to Thirsty.

What’s your take on it? Sound off in the comments.

Muskan Sharma

Muskan Sharma is a law student at Calcutta University. She writes for Thirsty for News, covering world news and entertainment. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places.

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