Gabrielle Union says she's celebrating turning 50 'like a champion'
Gabrielle Union is marking a major milestone with style.
The Being Mary Jane star took to social media to celebrate her 50th birthday on Saturday, Oct. 29. Set to Buju Banton's song "Champion," Union's video sees her confidently strutting catwalk-style in a black strapless dress with a sheer gold section revealing black briefs underneath.
"Walkin Into 50 … Like A Champion," the actress captioned her Instagram post, which featured a series of trophy emojis.
The post received a flurry of comments from fans and friends alike. Union's husband, Dwyane Wade, replied with a fire emoji, while stars including Kerry Washington, Quinta Brunson, Ludacris and Vanessa Bryant sent birthday greetings.
"Lookin 30!" wrote Tina Lawson, mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles.
"The hottest," added Olivia Munn, while journalist Jemele Hill responded, "50 WHERE??? Happy birthday to a true queen, incredible friend and muthaf***in stunner!!!"
Union's family celebrated her birthday with a two-day trip to Zanzibar, where they danced on the beach and soaked up some sun.
"2 days in paradise and I don’t wanna leave. This cruise into 50 has been smooooooth," Union said in a post marking her "birthday eve."
Before they kicked off the big vacation, Union posted a cute series of selfies of herself with Wade and their daughter Kaavia, in which she expressed her immense gratitude for those in her life.
"As we start this journey across the world for my 50th, I just want to luxuriate in my gratitude for my family, my amazing friends and all the friends I haven’t even met in person who have kept this train on the tracks this year, even after I collided with myself," Union wrote. "Thank y’all for rockin with the old homie. I appreciate you guys more than you can imagine."
In her book You Got Anything Stronger?, Union shared how she's determined to be a woman with "the audacity to age, and hope and believe in love,” despite the messages society sends about aging.
“Overnight I could grow a hair damn near an inch out of the middle of my forehead. Or my boob. I became obsessive about gray hairs, staying ever vigilant to dye them. As women, we are trained to see all these little signs of aging come up as a loss, each one a plank disappearing from the rope bridge falling apart behind us,” Union wrote.
Back in 2017, she told Women's Health that her best anti-aging tip "is the ability to say no, no, and hell no."
"We run ourselves ragged saying yes to every freaking thing, whether it's to our family, spouses or careers. I sleep eight hours a day and don't let myself stress out," the star explained. "A lot of people call it selfish, but I don't have any wrinkles."
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