Gabrielle Union, 53, discussed her experience with menopause, revealing how she overcame feelings of “shame” to now feeling “empowered.”
The Bring It On star shared her perspective in a recent People in 10 interview, stating that the experience “challenges you to look at life differently—and not as an ending, but as a beginning.”
She added, “When you’re dealing with, you know, hot flashes—whether it’s the first time or the 100th — everyone is different. There are no two that are the same.”
Union revealed her decision to collaborate with Bayer, the manufacturer of Lynkluet. This medication, which recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, is designed to treat moderate to severe hot flashes. Lynkluet’s active ingredient, elinzanetant, targets two brain receptors that regulate body temperature, with one of these potentially also aiding sleep.
READ ALSO: Dwyane Wade reveals nickname Gabrielle Union doesn’t like him to call her
Union expressed her excitement about “encouraging people to talk to their health care providers so they can figure out what best options are for them, because there are options.”
The actress, who has been candid about her menopause experience, once shared that a severe hot flash at the 2025 Met Gala prompted Bad Bunny to ask if she was alright.
Menopause, as Union explained on People in 10, “forces you to shift.” She described initially feeling “shamed” and “very isolated,” which led her to question her “value as a woman.”
However, the actress revealed that her perspective changed. Now, she states, “Over time, I feel empowered, I’m going to talk about it, and I’m not going to lose a thing.”
Despite the challenges of menopause, she is actively seeking and maintaining her inner peace.
She recently told Flow Space that she—sometimes fakes gastrointestinal issues to her family in order to spend some alone time in the bathroom in solitude.
“Nothing’s really happening in there. Maybe I’m playing Words With Friends. Maybe I’m finally responding to emails,” Union revealed. “I claim all kinds of gastrointestinal issues, and nobody wants to be around for that. And that’s how you get a little extra 30 [to] 45 minutes.”
Union makes no apologies for her bathroom ritual, acknowledging that personal time is essential for her to be her best self as a mother, wife, and actress.
“I’m going to be isolated and sitting in silence, and that is the quickest way for me to decompress,” she stated. “Everyone always thinks something’s wrong, but nothing’s wrong. It’s actually the best it’s ever been. I just really appreciate silence to sort of calm my nervous system.”
She added, “Every moment doesn’t need to be filled with noise, whether that’s background TV noise, music from your phone, [or] just people talking. It’s okay to listen to your own thoughts, and sometimes, the best way to do that is alone in silence.”
Union shared that her nightly routine includes winding down by watching “My Lottery Dream Home” on HGTV, followed by a period of silence before going to sleep.
“I lay there in silence, and I think about the day, and then you get to let the lower back settle a little,” she remarked. “Develop a love of silence. You don’t need people around you constantly filling space with unnecessary conversation.”
READ ALSO: Gabrielle Union Disappointed About Resorting To A Surrogate Mother; This Why
