Gabrielle Union, 51, is Almost Unrecognizable in New Look: "Why Would She Do This to Her Face?"

Gabrielle Union, known for her radiant beauty and age-defying looks, has left fans buzzing with her recent red carpet appearance. The 51-year-old actress stunned in a purple, sequined Elie Saab gown at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, attended with her husband, former NBA star Dwyane Wade. But despite her glamorous look, it was Union’s noticeably defined cheekbones that caught fans’ attention—and not entirely in a positive way.

As per Daily Mail, on Instagram, netizens expressed confusion and concern about what they believed to be a changed appearance, with comments flooding in like, “Why would she do this to her face? I am devastated.” In agreement, another added, “What. Happened. To. Her. Face.” Someone else echoed a similar sentiment and wrote, “Needs to take the fillers out.” Another internet user posed a similar question, “Why did she mess with her face.” Others added, “I hate those fillers. She was aging beautifully.” Someone else criticized her looks, “The first thing I noticed was the area around her mouth. What happened?”

One commentator wondered, “I hope that a really sharp cheek contour and not buccal fat removal.” Another user speculated, “I think that's a sharp contour and pointy at the mouth corners. Why, I'm not sure.” One user slammed Union’s MUA and wrote, “This contour is crazy. MUA wrong for this.” Union has spoken openly in the past about her stance on such cosmetic procedures. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she shared her thoughts on the pressures of aging in Hollywood and the evolving standards for beauty.

She remarked, “I'm the last person to be judging anybody for what they do for their bodies, and how they live their lives…Again, if you like it, I love it. I used to be more judgy, and then it’s like, Who gives a s**t?” She said that she is open to trying various techniques, but she prefers a natural look for herself. She further revealed, “For myself, I’ve tried all kinds of s**t. Some things don’t work — like, my body absorbs Botox like Skittles, so that’s not an option for me, because it doesn’t last…What I love more than anything are PRP facials, when they extract your blood and then put it back into your skin.”

The actress has attributed her youthful glow to simple habits—hydration, oily skin, and organic camelia oil, which she praised in a past interview. As per Marca, she said, “I drink lots of water, I don’t smoke and I have oily skin. Oil is like an embalming fluid that's sort of keeping me youthful-looking. Organic camellia oil does the trick. I use a couple of drops on my neck or my face. It works wonders." These practices she shared have helped her maintain her timeless beauty without needing to resort to more invasive measures.