Gabrielle Union reveals the ‘stupid’ purchase she made with her first big paycheck

Gabrielle Union candidly revealed she spent her first big paycheck on a new Mazda after her film career took off in the late ’90s.

“So stupid. I went on the Mazda lot. I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve made it when I have a Mazda,’” recalled Union during a panel discussion at the American Black Film Festival in Miami on June 12, per People.

“My dad’s like, ‘Don’t buy a brand new car. It depreciates the second you drive it off the lot,’” she continued.

But Union’s warning from her father didn’t steer her away from the vision she had for the car of her dreams.

“I walked into Mazda and I bought myself a black on black Mazda Miata with leather seats,” she added.

Though, the “Bring It On” actress quickly learned her lesson.

“Lemme tell you about leather seats in Los Angeles. Do you know I scorched myself every time I got out? Yeah, that was my first purchase. And it depreciated the second I drove it off the lot!” she hilariously added.

Union has been vocal about her financial practices in her household with husband Dwyane Wade.

The “Being Mary Jane” alum, 52, previously revealed that she and the former NBA player split their bills 50/50. However, her husband clarified her comments in 2023 during his appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast.

“My wife is a working actress who spends time away from the family to go work, build,” he said, adding that they “decided together” to go halfway on their shared life.

“There are some things I pick up versus some things she picks up but she does some, I do some,” he said.

“If we take a yacht trip, we can do it 50/50 or I can do it myself,” he said. “My wife is a working woman. She’s a boss and an independent woman in her own life.”

Wade, 43, also alleged that they both signed a prenuptial agreement before they married in August 2014 due to their individual well-to-do financial status.

“You a millionaire. You got money. You work hard for yourself. You should protect yourself,” he said of Union.