LOS ANGELES – Actress Gabrielle Union has had a change of heart regarding the 50/50 financial split she shares with her husband, NBA legend Dwyane Wade, after a profound therapy breakthrough, according to AllHipHop.
Union, who previously sparked intense online debate over her strict approach to equally dividing expenses in their marriage, now admits that her mindset was shaped by deep-seated financial fears rather than a true sense of equality.
“50/50 or Bust” No More
The “Bring It On” star first stirred controversy in 2023 after revealing on the Black Millionaires podcast that she and Wade split all bills and household expenses equally. At the time, she cited a “scarcity mindset” stemming from her early days as a struggling actress.
“In this household, we split everything fifty-fifty,” she said at the time. “I struggle with that, still. I think I just have more responsibilities for my money.”
However, speaking on the Balanced Black Girl podcast, Union shared that therapy has helped her recognize this mentality as a “trauma response” rather than a necessity.
“I famously said, ‘50/50 or bust,’ and I meant that financially, spiritually, and emotionally,” she explained. “There’s just a lot of days that I have 10 percent, and I need him to be 90 percent. There’s days that I don’t have s###, and I need him to be 100 percent.”
A Shift in Perspective
Union revealed that her attachment to financial independence was, at its core, a defense mechanism—one that kept her from fully trusting Wade, not just financially, but emotionally.
“50/50 is, ‘I’m not going to be vulnerable enough to trust you with 100 percent of anything.’ Not my heart, not my cash,” she admitted.
One moment that tested her resolve came when Wade asked her to take over their mortgage payments—something that triggered an overwhelming emotional reaction.
“I thought I was about to die,” Union recalled. “And he was like, ‘You insisted on that.’ He’s like, ‘I thought it made you feel better.’ And I’m like, ‘It did, and right now I want to take it back.’”
Growing Stronger as a Couple
Despite her initial distress, Union said the experience ultimately strengthened their marriage, helping her realize that their financial structure wasn’t about affordability, but trust.
“Because he knows it’s not about whether he can afford it,” she explained. “It’s being vulnerable enough, to be open enough to know that I’m okay. I’m okay as his wife. He’s okay as my husband. I’m okay in this family.”
Union’s revelation has reignited conversations about financial dynamics in relationships, with many applauding her for embracing flexibility and emotional growth within her marriage.
Source: AllHipHop
