Gabrielle Union was awestruck when her husband of eight years, Dwyane Wade, revealed his latest tattoo was a tribute to her. But that doesn’t mean she was moved enough to return the gesture.
Union does not have any tattoos, and she intends to keep it that way. “Hell no! I will not be returning the favor,” she told “Entertainment Tonight” when asked if she had any plans to ink D.W. on her body.
On Nov. 11, the “Being Mary Jane” actress shared footage of “the best gift ever,” Wade revealing her initial that he inked on his wrist, to social media. In the caption, she wrote, “The moment you find out your man has made you his 17th tattoo.”
Users thought the new ink was a sweet gesture to show just how much the former NBA player loves his wife. Some others were confused as to why Wade chose to make the tattoo so small that almost no one would notice it. The Proudly co-founder said her husband made the smarter decision by going small.
“It’s kind of an inside joke. My first husband — obviously that didn’t work out because I have a second husband — he got a very large tattoo of my whole name in like a very specific font, and obviously it didn’t work out,” she noted.
The “Cheaper By the Dozen” star further explained, “My husband has heard that story for many years, so he was like, ‘I’m not getting a tattoo because I want us to work’ … So he surprised me with my initials. He was like, ‘I’mma keep it small ‘cuz I want us to work.’ “
Union and former NFL player Chris Howard were married from 2001 to 2005. In past interviews, she has said the relationship was always destined to fail. And in her first memoir, “We’re Going to Need More Wine,” she elaborated on how the two were never the ideal partners for each other.
Last year, Union said her failed marriage left a lasting impression on her family, so much so that they initially were not receptive to Wade. “There was some precedent there, otherwise known as my first marriage. Left me a little lighter,” she told Jimmy Kimmel about the money she had to shell out.
As a result, her father did not trust that the former Miami Heat player was pursuing Union’s heart and not her fortune. “When he first met Dwyane he was like, ‘What are your intentions? What do you want from my daughter? [Dwyane was like,] ‘Her love?’ ” she recalled.
However, since photos and behind-the-scenes footage of her storybook wedding to Wade were shared to social media, fans have declared the Wade’s union as #relationshipgoals. But, Union is not interested in people viewing her marriage as some sort of standard for relationships.
