Gabrielle Union, known for her roles in iconic films such as "Love & Basketball" and "Bring It On," has long been recognized as a formidable talent in Hollywood. By the year 2000, her presence on set already signaled her impending stardom to those around her. However, a misunderstanding on the set of "Bring It On" brought attention to an incident involving actor Matthew Lawrence.
Matthew Lawrence, celebrated for his roles in "Boy Meets World," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "Brotherly Love," recounted a specific event during his appearance on the Magical Rewind podcast. He shared an experience while working on the 1999 TV movie "H-E Double Hockey Sticks," a film where he starred alongside Will Friedle. The movie, which aired on ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney, told the story of a young devil, played by Friedle, who attempts to capture the soul of a promising hockey player, portrayed by Lawrence.
During this period, Lawrence found himself at odds with Union when he declined to rehearse for "Bring It On." This decision led to Union reporting him to the director and studio executives.
"And she got angry and went and reported me to the director and the studio." – Matthew Lawrence
The incident marked a rare occasion for Lawrence, who typically champions causes such as children's and women's rights, to be summoned by those in charge due to his actions on set.
"The only time in my entire career, because usually I'm, like, the advocate, and I'm fighting for kids and, like, women's rights. This is the only time in my life when I was called into the office for something I did on set. And I had no clue." – Matthew Lawrence
Lawrence elaborated further on his approach to acting at that time.
"At that point, in my mind — now I can do whatever, and nothing's gonna faze me — [but] at that point in my mind, I really loved memorizing the lines, knowing all the beats," – Matthew Lawrence
However, he expressed a dislike for rehearsing as he believed it diminished the spontaneity of his performance.
"but hated running it, cause it felt like it took all the freshness out of it." – Matthew Lawrence
His comments sparked laughter from Friedle and Sabrina Bryan, who acknowledged Union's confidence and strong presence.
Union's career trajectory continued to ascend as she appeared in successful films such as "Deliver Us from Eva" and "Bad Boys II." She also headlined television series like "Being Mary Jane" and "L.A.'s Finest," solidifying her status as a leading figure in entertainment.
