BET celebrated Gabrielle Union and "Being Mary Jane" cast with an A-list premiere party in LA this week. And TheYBF.com was front and center for the hot event...and we also chatted up Ms. Union about some things we've been wondering about. See red carpet pics inside, and our chats with the cast....
Monday evening, TheYBF.com hit the red carpet in LA for the “Being Mary Jane” Premiere Screening in Los Angeles. We chatted exclusively with the series' star, Gabrielle Union, who looked sexy in a white Michael Kors jumpsuit.
Gabrielle Union on holiday plans:
The Laker game. My boyfriend plays [the Lakers] on Christmas. So I’ll be at the Laker Game. For New Year's we'll be out of the country. Just a quick trip.”
On Christmas shopping for Dwyane's sons:
I finished the little ones a while ago and I just finished the older one’s today actually.
On what she expects to get from Santa:
A lump of coal like usual. I keep asking for tube socks and he keeps giving them to me I should probably stop asking.”
Did she get the new Beyonce album?
Have I? Please! I was downloading the second it dropped!”
On how the show depicts Mary Jane’s love life and its relation to her.
It's one of the only projects I've ever seen when a single working woman is authentically portrayed in a brutally honest way. [My friends and I] have these conversations that are sort of played out on screen. The conversations that we have and the life that we live, the choices we make good or bad are never accurately depicted and you never see consequences. There are times when you love Mary Jane and times when you want to slap the piss out of her.
More pics from the premiere at Leonard H Goldenson Theatre:
The show's fab creator Mara Brock Akil and BET's President Debra Lee posed it up with Gabby.
We also chatted with Mara about her take on affairs and how women relate to the relationships in the show.
In the film, David, (played by Stephen Bishop) is labeled as “Never Answer”. How can women relate to this relationship?
“We've all had that one significant relationship that is the hurdle that we have to get over. You're always measuring, Do I go back to that? Or do I do better than that? Am I going to get something similar to that? It's the relationship that marks our adult relationships which we grapple with. Everybody has "the one."
If your partner was having an affair would you want to know all the intimate details?
When I wrote the scene, I thought what would I want to know. I want to know what's he's doing to you that he's not doing to me!
Essence Atkins walked the red carpet in brown Steve Madden pumps, ripped Zara jeans and navy blue Calvin Klein blazer.
The "Mr. Box Office" star told us about why she loves supporting "Being Mary Jane". Her besties are involved!
"It stars two of my best friends, Gabrielle Union and Robinne Lee. We played sisters in Deliver Us From Eva. I'm just excited about the story about women, and a woman in particular, searching for love trying to find a balance in her profession. I think there's a lot of women that can relate to this, not just women of color but just women across the board. There's so many women doing so well and their personal lives are in need of resuscitation. This will take an honest look at those struggles and explore how we deal with them. It's going to be a fun journey to watch."
And how is the mommy celebrating the Holidays?
"My son is turning two on Christmas Day. I'm actually doing this thing that I'm kind of excited about. Instead of presents I'm having everyone give my son a letter kind of like a time capsule. Except this time capsule will be when he turns 18 so I'm not reading any letters and I just want the people to write something down that their hopes and dreams for him when he becomes a young man."
Awww.
Series star Robinne Lee told us on the red carpet about her character saying, "You’re going to expect a lot of drama. Some very juicy stuff. Really, really well written one hour drama with dynamic multilayered characters. The choices they make are unexpected, unique, and relatable."
We also chatted with celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins, who trained Mara Brock Akil when she had her first son.
"For Christmas I'm going to snowboard in Aspen. I'll be turning up on the mountain. For New Years Eve, I think I'm going to crash wherever Kelly is. She's performing. I'm going to be that homegirl. (laughs)"
Gabrielle posed with BET CEO Debra Lee and series star Margaret Avery.
Series star, Richard Roundtree was there.
Actor and comedian Affion Crockett supported the premiere.
Reality star and funnywoman Kym Whitley was there.
Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Cookie Johnson posed with Mara Brock Akil and husband, famed producer/director Salim Akil.
Former "Kenan & Kel" star Kel Mitchell made a rare appearance.
And John Salley also came out to support the premiere.
The cast also chatted with the audience.....
Watch BTS video here:
"BEING MARY JANE" returns to television January 7, 2014.
Photos via BET Networks/Frank Micelotta Photographer, LA Correspondent: Lauren Smith
