An attractive and impressively talented African-American actress, Gabrielle Union has carved out a niche after landing plum roles in a fiercely competitive field thanks to her consistent yet versatile performances. While studying sociology at UCLA, this Omaha native interned at a modeling agency in her senior year in a bid to fit the most into her school schedule. When agents noted that clients often asked after her and were disappointed that she was a behind-the-scenes employee only, Union decided to take the plunge, and following graduation, she began modeling, seeing the high-paying job as a great way to pay off her sizable student loans. Before long, Union’s look would migrate from the page to the screen, and in 1996, she was featured in episodes of “Moesha” (UPN) and “Malibu Shores” (NBC). A natural talent, Union landed parts in quick succession, including a recurring turn on The WB’s family drama series “7th Heaven”. Here she essayed the role of Keesha Hamilton, eldest daughter of African Methodist Episcopal Reverend Hamilton (Dorian Harewood), a close friend of the central Camden family. Carrying on the role occasionally from 1996-1998, Union was impressive in her infrequent guest shots. A 1997 two-episode recurring role on the syndicated sci-fi spin-off “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” also helped launch the ingénue’s career.

Union made her feature acting debut in 1999’s “She’s All That”, serving as the friend and conscience for Freddie Prinze Jr.’s sensitive but deceitful hero with a small but pivotal role. That same year, she played a far more sinister character as the back-stabbing best friend of Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) in “10 Things I Hate About You”, the teen take on “The Taming of the Shrew”. Though the actress was by then in her mid-twenties, she was still very believable as a teen, even as the particularly immature and petty Chastity. These youthful looks would work to her advantage, as the spate of teen-aimed fare seemed nowhere in sight. The critically acclaimed romantic drama “Love & Basketball” (2000) gave Union the opportunity to play a single-minded basketball groupie after hot property Q (Omar Epps), while that same year’s similarly sports-themed “Bring It On” made her the center of attention. An athlete from early childhood, Union embraced the opportunity to take on a more physical role, but even she found the training involved in being a cheerleader surprisingly rigorous. Rising admirably to the challenge, the actress brought her style and spark to the role of Isis, an inner-city cheerleader whose squad has the moves but not the finances to win the national championship. Making the most of her role and never descending into a typical “underprivileged fighter with a chip on her shoulder” portrayal, Union lit up the screen in “Bring It On”, and her magnetism as well as that of comparably talented co-star Kirsten Dunst was no doubt responsible for the film’s surprisingly lucrative box-office run.

Union put aside teen roles for a regular stint on the troubled CBS medical drama “City of Angels” (2000), playing the lead female in a largely African-American ensemble cast. The following year she made history when her featured guest role as the love interest of both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Ross (David Schwimmer) unfathomably marked the first time a black actor was featured on the New York City-set sitcom “Friends” in its seven-season run. The following week, on March 23, 2001, “The Brothers” opened. An African-American ensemble piece, the film centered around four successful young professional men and their various attitudes towards relationships. Union played Denise Johnson, whose respective gentleman was a ridiculously commitment-phobic Morris Chestnut. Though Denise was originally written as a meek, resigned character, director Gary Hardwick advised the actress to bring her own fire to the role, and Denise became a strong-willed and assured young woman whose independent spirit and alluring self-sufficiency just might change the notorious player’s ways.

A supporting turn in the 2001 comedy “Two Can Play That Game” returned Union to the big screen that fall, while projects including the comedy “Welcome to Collinwood”–in which her fleeting appearance nevertheless made a major impression–and the college-set thriller “Abandon” (both released in 2002) would keep her on the scene for a while to come. A favorite among critics and moviegoers alike, Union was poised to be a breakout star although her down-to-earth attitude toward show business would indicate that she didn’t look to superstardom as the key to happiness.

In 2003, Union joined rap icon LL Cool J for the comedy feature “Deliver Us From Eva” (2003). Union, as the title character Eva, plays an up-tight young woman who finds joy in meddling in her younger sisters’ love life. Also that year, Union was cleverly cast in the sequel “Bad Boys II” (2003) opposite Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as Lawerence’s lovely sister. Union’s character is not only in danger at the crux of the plot, she also has an opportunity to get romantically entangled with Smith and comedically opposed to Lawrence, developments that served to introduce the actress’ distinctive charms to an even wider audience in her first “blockbuster” starring role. After starring opposite Jaime Foxx in the romantic comedy “Breakin’ All the Rules” (2004), she played Alice Kramden to Cedric the Entertainer’s Ralph Kramden in the rehash of the famed 1950’s sitcom, “The Honeymooners” (2005). Though promising a fresh take on an oldie-but-goodie, the film was blasted by critics who cited a lack of chemistry between characters, a subservient bow to political correctness—particularly with Kramden’s famous threat to send Alice to the moon—and a dearth of laughs despite overwhelming comedic talent. She then took on a role in the ABC remake of the classic supernatural TV series “Night Stalker” (2005) as Perri Reed, the all-too-normal partner to Carl Kolchak. Union was then caught up in a rare mini-controversy in fall 2005 when he publicist circulated an email urging entertainment industry types to boycot the Hollywood night spot Club Mood, alleging that the club refused to host Union’s 33rd birthday party because of her race. The club’s owner denied the allegations and the p.r. company later issued an apology. Within a week of that incident, it was announced that Union had split from her husband of almost five years, running back Chris Howard.

Also Credited As: Gabrielle M. UnionBorn: on 10/29/1973 in Omaha, NebraskaJob Titles: Actor, ModelFamily
Father: Sylvester.
Mother: Theresa.
Significant Others
Husband: Chris Howard. married in May 2001
Education
University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, sociology, BS
University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
Milestones
1981 Relocated from Nebraska to Pleasanton, California
1996 Had a recurring role on “7th Heaven” (The WB), playing the eldest daughter of Reverend Hamilton (Dorian Harewood)
1996 Guested on episodes of “Moesha” (UPN) and “Malibu Shores” (NBC)
1997 Had a two-episode recurring role on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”
1999 Featured in “H-E Double Hockey Sticks”, an ABC TV-movie presentation of “The Wonderful World of Disney”
1999 Made feature debut in the teen comedy “She’s All That”
1999 Played the backstabbing best friend of Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) in “10 Things I Hate About You”, a teen remake of “The Taming of the Shrew”
2000 Guested on an episode of “ER” (NBC)
2000 Had a supporting role in the sports-themed romantic drama “Love & Basketball”
2000 Played the head cheerleader for the Comets in the cheerleader comedy “Bring It On”
2000 Was a regular on the CBS medical drama “City of Angels”, playing Dr. Courtney Ellis
2001 Featured in the romantic comedy “Two Can Play That Game”
2001 Made history as the first major African-American role on the NBC sitcom “Friends”, guest starring as a woman dating both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Ross (David Schwimmer)
2001 Played Denise Johnson, the strong-willed woman who might change the ways of a commitment-phobe (Morris Chestnut) in “The Brothers”
2002 Co-starred in the college-set thriller “Abandon”
2002 Played Michelle in the comedy “Welcome to Collinwood,” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo.
2003 Co-starred opposite LL Cool J in the comedy feature “Deliver Us From Eva”
2003 Featured in “Cradle 2 to Grave”
2003 Played the love interest to Will Smith’s character in “Bad Boys II”
2005 Portrayed Alice Kramden, opposite Cedric the Entertainer in the big screen remake of “The Honeymooners”
2006 Starred in Peter Paige’s feature directorial debut, “Say Uncle”
2007 Co-starred in the Christmas feature, “The Perfect Holiday”
2007 Starred in Tyler Perry’s “Daddy’s Little Girls”
While in college, interned at a modeling agency, later landing a contract

GallowWalker also stars Riley Smith, Kevin Howarth, and the lovely Tanit Phoenix.  It is set for release sometime in 2009.

In the film a midnight showing of an early 1970’s horror movie turns to chaos when the Killer from the movie comes out of the film to attack those in the theater. You can check out the trailer by heading over to the new official site.

Think about it. How many times have you seen a slasher movie where a strong, well-built, and seemingly indestructible killer (disguised in a mask, cloak or parka)  who is hunting down teenagers who lack any survival skills whatsoever, reveal “himself” to actually be a female?  All of a sudden that “Kane-Hodder” like body instantly metamorphsizes into a slender body, and the viewers are meant to believe that it’s completely plausible for a woman to be responsible for all the mayhem and the murders that happened before she exposed herself to the audience.

Every time I’ve seen this happen in movies, I always feel compelled to defend my gender to my male friends. (Even though I myself think it’s also completely ludicrous.) I’ve heard myself say things like, “What do you mean? Sure the Noxzema girl could hang, strangle, pour liquid Drano down grown men’s’ throats!”  “Are you kidding? Jackie from Roseanne could totally pull Jamie Kennedy into a news van in broad daylight and stab him 20 times without him fighting back once!” “Betsy Palmer is totally scarier than Jason! Yes she is! Yes she f*cking is!”  These obviously false statements are usually followed with the “Who the hell are you trying to kid?” glances. Which I always reply in defeat with the “I don’t f*cking know” shrugs.

It wasn’t until I watched Haute Tension (or Switchblade Romance as I prefer to call it) that I truly came to realize how women still had a long way to go to effectively play convincing killers.  This is because when I first watched the film, all the scared sh*tless feelings I was experiencing were instantly dissolved when it turned out the strange male killing machine was in fact Marie all along.  When she was chasing her friend with the saw, I couldn’t help but think how much scarier the film would have been if Alexandre Aja had just played it as a straight home invasion horror film, instead of using the twist at the end, because Cecile De France just didn’t invoke fear into me like Philippe Nahon did.

This got me thinking as to how funny it is how viewers can buy how once defenseless women can change into strong protagonists who can set up “Home alone” like booby traps in less than 20 minutes and defeat killers who seem to have every move premeditated, but somehow the majority of us can not buy women playing deranged serial killers.

The only time we ever seem to find women scary is when they are possessed, scorned lovers, anal retentive transvestite camp counselors, ghosts who have long stringy black hair covering their faces, or chronically horny nymphomaniacs with ice picks. (Although half of that list is not as much “scary” as it is over the top and hilarious!)

Finally, filmmakers have started to figure out how women killers appear on screen and decided to switch things up a bit. Late last year, I witnessed two movies called The Girl Next Door and A l’interieur. (Better known to horror fiends as Inside.)  In both these films, they had lead female antagonists that shook me (and those around me) to the core. They didn’t need to use supernatural forces, sex appeal, or boil a bunny to prove that they were frightening. Their bloodcurdling and chilling performances as ‘Aunt Ruthie’ and ‘the stranger’ said it all. 

Being female, I can definitely admit that we still have some way to go when it comes to being portrayed as powerful villainesses; however women now are definitely giving the male counterparts a run for their money. (THANK GOD! )

So what are your thoughts, horror fans?  Do you think women can be equally as scary as men in horror films?

Eric Poppen who worked on the Borderland script will try and make this story combine elements of all of the Clock Tower games. But the focus of this new film will be on “Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within,” in which the heroine finds herself locked up in a psychiatric hospital as she tries to escape the curse that has haunted her family for generations.

My hope is that Weisz does not turn this into another Hills Have Eyes 2. The game is spooky because of the atmosphere that is created. Not because of the gore or the shock element which is pretty much all we know him for. Shooting on the film is expected to begin in July.

Filmmax has released quite a few details about their upcoming project Paintball. Several horror films have used a paintball scenario in their film but none have built an entire film around the idea. So this should be an interesting film with Daniel Benmayor making his directoral debut.

The script was written by Mario Schoendorff. The synopsis that is given is extremely long so instead of breaking it down for you I’ll let you read over the entire thing below:

A truck rumbles down a potholed track. In the back sit a group of passengers, their eyes blindfolded. They don’t know each other, but they have a lot in common: they’re young, urban workaholics, with an appetite for extreme experiences. They’ve signed up for a weekend of adventure.

As they head out into the unknown, they hear the others breathing in the darkness, steadying their pulses in silence as the adrenaline begins to flow…

The blindfolds come off to reveal a dense forest. Each player is equipped with supplies to last the weekend, a powerful paintball gun, ammunition, maps and instructions. They have to complete an adventure trail that takes in ravines, caves and obstacle-ridden trekking paths. The group is split into two teams. The winners will be the team that wipes out their opponents and completes the circuit. They wanted adventure? They got it.

Deep in the woods, one group is ambushed. Invisible snipers pin them down in a hail of paint – then one of their number collapses, writhing in agony. Red blood mixes with the paint. Confusion reigns. Who is shooting at them? In the silence, they stare round at each other, and into the forest, looking for a traitor – or some kind of explanation.

The rules of the game have changed. The only law is the law of the jungle, and nobody trusts anybody else. Hidden among the trees, camouflaged by leaves and branches, there are deadly traps. Hunted down like prey in a lethal game, the teams face a desperate struggle for survival. There’s nothing like a brush with death to make you feel alive.

“There is a wealth of material that we feel culturally translates extremely well from the pan-Asian regions, and we feel we have an amazing franchise on our hands,” CP Prinicpal Christine Peters told The Hollywood Reporter.

Top Ten Werewolves Worth Watching

10. The Howling 2 (1985) - This may seem like an odd film for this list, but I have to admit it’s a guilty pleasure for me.  This movie is just flat out fun.  And hey, Christopher Lee is in it…how awesome is that?  As a sequel, it’s pretty usual fare, especially for the 80’s but I dig it.  And for you boobie hounds, make sure you stick around for the end credits just to count how many times Sybil Danning rips her top open.  It’s pretty funny.

 9.   The Wolf Man (1941) - So you know I have to give some love to the Wolf Man.  I would like to put it higher, but it’s more a sentimental nod than anything.  This film helped shaped all the werewolf films after it.  Even if Lon Chaney Jr. looks like nothing more than a hirsute man about town and is probably the only known carnivore to choke his victims, this transformation is still cool to watch today. 

8.   Wolf (1999) - I know a  lot of people crapped on this film but I think it is highly underrated.  Jack Nicholson’s wolf man is another example of poor shaving hygiene and although I prefer the more wolfy wolves, this film is plenty deeper than most realize upon the first viewing. 

7.   Wolfen (1981) - Wolfen is another one that doesn’t fit the traditional werewolf film ideas, but it’s cool nonetheless.  These are shape shifters in the sense that they turn into actual wolves from Native American folklore.  A nice change from the full moon bit.  Plus there is a great cast with Albert Finney, Gregory Hines and Edward James Olmos.

6.   The Company of Wolves (1984) - This fractured fairytale is one of my favorites (obviously it’s on the list…I know).  It has a creepy feel that puts me in mind of Sleepy Hollow.  Neil Jordan who also directed The Crying Game, In Dreams and Interview with the Vampire brings the fable of Little Red Riding Hood to life with a nasty little twist.  This film is much more than your everyday werewolf movie.  It delves deep into numerous themes and is saturated with sexual connotations.  Men really are beasts. 

5.   Ginger Snaps (2000) - Just when I was starting to think that the days of good werewolf flicks were behind me, along came Ginger.  And she rocked.  The wolf itself was a little disappointing for me, but everything up to it made it well worth the ride.  Ginger and her equally twisted sister, Beatrice love the macabre and spend the majority of their time setting up grisly displays of death and morbidity. I love these chicks.  One day, though, reality comes a-knockin’ and Ginger answers the door.  That is when the fun really begins.

4.   Silver Bullet (1985) - How can you not love a film that involves a drunk Gary Busey?  Doesn’t every Gary Busey film fit that category?  And every home video he wandered into?  Oh well.  In this entry based on a Stephen King story, Corey Haim is in a wheelchair, his sister mostly gets on my nerves and someone in town is having their time of the month.    A staple in any lupine video collection, Silver Bullet ended up being much better than it should have been.  It is chock full of one-liners and fun scenes.  How can you not laugh when the creature steals your weapon and beats you with it?

3.   Dog Soldiers (2002) - Wow.  All I could say when I watched this film was “wow.”  Neil Marshall  (The Descent, Doomsday) brings forth a masterpiece of modern lycanthropic cinema.  Superb performances are seen from Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Liam Cunningham and one of my favorites, Darren Morfitt.  You actually care about the characters, it’s fast-paced and scary, and I am crazy about the effects.  Marshall proves you don’t have to be chained to your PC to produce clever, enjoyable creatures. 

2.   An American Werewolf in London (1981) - John Landis’ perfect film is not only scary but funny and even created an Oscar category.  Damn.  In this film you will witness the greatest ever transformation scene.  27 years later and no one has touched it or even come close.  David Naughton is the sexiest werewolf I have ever seen too.   You absolutely cannot go wrong here and if you have never seen it, what are you waiting for?  How can you call yourself a fan?  Get out there NOW and watch it. 

1.   The Howling (1981) - Okay, while I am perfectly aware that AAWiL is the superior film technically, there will always be a special place in my heart for The Howling.  Isn’t it interesting though that two of the greatest werewolf films ever made came out in the same year?  I saw them both in the theater and even back then loved The Howling.  I knew it would always be my favorite.  For one, I have a thing for bipedal werewolves.  They are scarier to me because they look completely unnatural.  Also this film is sexy and raw.  I probably quote this film more than any
other.