In "Think Like a Man," Gabrielle Union plays opposite Jerry Ferrara, who may be best known for his character, Turtle from the wildly successful HBO series “Entourage.” As their characters Kristen and Jeremy, the two try to deal with a relationship that is nine years in, with no marriage plans in site – that is, until Steve Harvey’s book comes into play.

Bringing the ‘heat’ to Gabrielle Union’s ‘entourage’

By KEVIN CHILL HEARD

Managing Editor

It took the mind of Cleveland’s own Steve Harvey to convince a literary audience to “Act like a Lady, Think like a Man,” and now his audience has widened exponentially as the film “Think like a Man,” based on Harvey’s New York Times bestselling book, is set for release next Friday, April 20 with an all-star cast, including Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Megan Good, Terrence J and “a whole lot more.”

The film follows a group of women who gravitate to Harvey’s book and employ it’s tactics to gain an advantage on the men in their relationships, and it works – right up to the point where the guys figure out that Harvey’s book has tipped the ladies off!

Gabrielle Union plays opposite Jerry Ferrara, who may be best known for his character, Turtle from the wildly successful HBO series “Entourage.” As their characters Kristen and Jeremy, the two try to deal with a relationship that is nine years in, with no marriage plans in site – that is, until Harvey’s book comes into play.

With an opportunity to sit down with Union, she didn’t reveal if she’d be getting a ring before her Miami Heat boyfriend Dwyane Wade, but we were able to explore her own attitudes on life, love and “thinking like a man.”

Can you tell us about your character?

I play Kristen, Joey’s (Ferrara) longtime girlfriend who clearly has not been articulate on her wants, needs, expectations and desires; hence she’s been suffering for nine years expecting something that just never happens.

Can you relate to this in real life?

I can absolutely relate to this in my younger [days] of being afraid to say what you want, need and expect, and not being very clear about “this is my line in the sand and if you cross it there is a consequence.”

What about now?

Now? No, I don’t function that way, but it definitely took a lot of bad relationships… divorce… to kinda get to a place of being very clear. That’s now. Then, it took about one, two, three, four… about eight times (she laughs). But thank God I’ve grown.

Have you read Steve Harvey’s book?

I did, okay, full disclosure, me and a couple of girlfriends bought the book and did an interpretive reading one night at my house. We laughed our [butts] off, but there was a good chunk of the room that was laughing and we realized that we function in our lives using common sense – and then there was another part of the room who was silent and didn’t find it funny at all. I thought it was a lot of stuff that was obvious, but there was a group of my friends [whom saw it as] a revelation.

So some of your girls were feeling enlightened by it?

Yeah, a lot of light bulbs were going off. So I think it speaks to a lot of people who we assume get it.

Was there ever an issue of you being paired in a multi-racial relationship?

When I read the script, I was like, “Who is playing Jerry, and is he hot? Will people want to see him naked?” They told me Jerry Ferrara, and I was like “cool.” It wasn’t a thing where I was thinking, “Oh sh##, how are people gonna take this?” It was more of my friends asking, “can he kiss?” It was never a race thing, but other superficial issues (she laughs). If anything, I’m more concerned why no one has asked, “Is this couple functioning addicts?” Clearly they’ve been smoking a lot of weed for the last nine years that’s made them quite complacent. That, to me, was the part that should be problematic, and not the race issue. For me, I was like, “oh good, he looks like he brushes his teeth.” It’s more about dental hygiene issues with me when you’re talking co-stars.

Your character in the film, who lives with her man, had issues with her dude compromising on décor. Have you come across similar problems in your real life?

I don’t like black lacquer furniture, I think it’s ridiculous. Black leather couches - really? Artwork from the swap meet – not a personal fan, but it’s made its way into a number of apartments I’ve shared with people. But I will say that it is my signed [Michael] Jordan poster that other people may have said didn’t go with things. I felt it was the center focal-point of every home [I’ve been in].

Check out “Think Like A Man” in theaters everywhere Friday, April 20.