Gabrielle Union’s 2023 rom-com The Perfect Find clicked well with viewers on Netflix. However, despite ranking No. 1 on the streaming platform in some countries, the adorable love story depicted in the movie was overshadowed by thrilling action and mystery from another film. That ended up with Union losing the coveted top spot to her competitor and friend Chris Hemsworth. As the actress and businesswoman is in full swing to promote her latest hit project, The Idea of You, starring Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, Union reflected on losing to Hemsworth.

It was ranked second to the second installment of Extraction, starring Hemsworth, which garnered 102.5 million views, winning the hearts of viewers worldwide. Nevertheless, both movies proved to be super hits.

“‘The Perfect Find’ was No. 2 [on Netflix], because of ‘Extraction’. Damn, you [Chris] Hemsworth but went No. 1 in some countries across the world,” Union said in an interview with Variety. Directed by Numa Perrier, The Perfect Find is an adaptation of the book by Tia Williams. It features Keith Powers opposite the Miami Heat legend’s wife’s character. The romantic comedy film follows the story of a 40-year-old fashion editor and her 20-year-old nemesis’ son, captivating audiences with its strong emotional pull.

While the two movies (The Perfect Find and The Idea Of You) are very different, they share a common theme. The story of a woman in her forties. While she is the female lead in The Perfect Find, The Idea Of You stars Hathaway. Moreover, Union serves as a producer in both movies. What intrigued Union the most, however, was the age gap between the characters.

Gabrielle Union’s The Perfect Find inspired her to the latest hit 

Union, who is married to her 9-years-younger husband Dwyane Wade, shared that she experienced similar judgment as the female protagonists in the movies she has produced. She further stated how people often judge and make decisions about what should make others happy at a certain age.

“I lived it. Being with someone who’s nine years younger than me and dealing with it. In the very beginning, (Wade’s mother) was like … ‘What do you want?’ … So you pull from those things,” Union said about her marriage to Wade in an earlier interview with USA Today.

However, the success of her 2023 movie made her realize the demand for such stories. “I was like ‘Yes!’ That let me know the world wants to see it. And that’s because the world is made up of [gasps] people over 35, women over 35, and there’s a billion stories about love because there’s billions of us. So let us tell those,” Union told Variety.

It inspired her to produce the movie adaptation of her friend Robinne Lee’s bestselling book. The book tells the story of a 40-year-old divorced mother and a 20-year-old lead singer of a band. The Idea of You was released on Prime Video on May 2 and quickly became fans’ favorite. Even the trailer broke the record, gaining 125 million views. One thing is certain for the executive producer, she has successfully introduced a refreshing reboot in the movie industry with these films.