Gabrielle Union on 'Cheaper by the Dozen' Co-Star Zach Braff Not Knowing Her Husband Dwyane Wade (Exclusive)

There are no hard feelings between Gabrielle Union's on-screen husband, Zach Braff, and her real-life husband, Dwyane Wade. Union and Braff play parents, Zoey and Paul Baker, in the Disney+ remake of Cheaper by the Dozen, and the L.A.'s Finest star shared her reaction to her co-star recently revealing that he didn't know of her superstar athlete husband before they worked together.

During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Braff admitted he had no idea who Wade was before the duo began working on the Disney+ film. "First of all, I knew nothing about sports," he said. "So, when she kept talking about her husband, Dwyane, I was like, 'Oh, I hope to one day meet this Dwyane.' I had no idea who it was."

When he learned that Union's husband is a retired NBA star, it added some pressure to his role as her movie spouse. "I knew what a knockout of a woman she was and that she was a good actress, and I just couldn’t believe they thought that she would legitimately pick me as her husband. They’re just the coolest couple," Braff said. "I was worried about pretending to be her husband. So, all I could do was get in the best shape I could, and have some abs. I had an ab or two."

When Union spoke with ET about their upcoming film, she revealed that neither her nor her husband found offense because "in all fairness," Wade didn't know who Braff was before either!

"I don't want to say luckily, but he didn't know who Zach was either, he didn't watch Scrubs," she admitted. "He's like, 'Is that the one where there was, like, a Black dude?' And I'm like, 'Yes, that's Donald Faison, baby.' So, in all fairness, it's a push. They didn’t know who each other was and, magically, they both are successful. It happens."

Union also noted how proud she is of Braff for the training he did for the film, sharing that the actor would send her progress photos. "The biggest reveal -- he was training so hard, heart and hustle, you know -- Zach got popped at the beach with his girl and he was ripped and tan," she said, laughing. "He was so happy that he had his shirt off at the right time, you know. I saw the pictures and I was like, 'Yes. You've arrived.'"

The new Cheaper by the Dozen was directed by Gail Lerner, and the screenplay was written by Kenya Barris (Black-ish) and Jenifer Rice-Genzuk Henry (Grown-ish). Barris and Union also serve as producers on the film.   

In addition to Union and Braff, the film also stars Erika Christensen, Timon Kyle Durrett, Journee Brown, Kylie Rogers, Andre Robinson, Caylee Blosenski, Aryan Simhadri, Leo Abelo Perry, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Christian Cote, Sebastian Cote and Luke Prael.  

Cheaper by the Dozen begins streaming on March 18 on Disney+.

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