Gabrielle Union, 51, shows off new look as fans ask ‘why does she look so different?’

GABRIELLE Union has baffled fans after showing off her new look - leaving them asking, "Why does she look so different?"

Actress Gabrielle, 51, put on a gorgeous display while attending the 2024 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The former America's Got Talent judge stunned in a purple Elie Saab gown comprised of dazzling sequins.

Accessorising with a giant stone necklace, she was joined by her former basketball player husband, Dwyane Wade, 42.

Gabrielle undoubtedly turned heads on the red carpet. However, it was her facial appearance that caught attention, with many speculating about potential cosmetic changes.

"Why would she do this to her face? I am devastated," one Instagram user commented on a post by Fashion Bomb Daily of her look at the event.

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Others echoed similar concerns, with commenters adding, "What. Happened. To. Her. Face," and "Needs to take the fillers out."

A fourth asked, "Why did she mess with her face?" while another added, "I hate those fillers. She was aging beautifully."

But someone else pointed out, "I hope that’s just a really sharp cheek contour and not buccal fat removal."

Another added, "This contour is crazy. MUA wrong for this…" with one more saying, "Please be the makeup."

The Nebraska-born actress landed significant supporting roles in 1999’s blockbuster teen films She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You.

It would be her breakthrough role in 2000s teen comedy classic Bring It On as confident cheer-captain Isis, that helped the actress rise to greater prominence. The now cult-classic was a critical and commercial success, grossing over £71 million in the box office.

Back in 2016, Elle magazine asked the Flawless Curls founder what her anti-ageing secret was. Gabrielle told Elle told the popular magazine that staying hydrated and having oily skin helped her to reverse the ageing process.

The Bad Boys II actress 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."

She continued: “Organic camellia oil does the trick. I use a couple of drops on my neck or my face. It works wonders."  

The California-raised stars’ winning streak and youthful glow followed her into the 2010’s with standout performances in a string of hit movies such as  2002’s Bad Boys II alongside movie giants Will Smith, 55 and Martin Lawrence, 58.

The film star kept audiences laughing with a meme-worthy lead role the following year in 2003’s classic Deliver Us From Eva starring rap legend LL Cool J.

Gabrielle also appeared in the critically acclaimed 2012 film Think Like A Man, and its sequel, 2014’s Think Like A Man Too.

The age-defying starlet isn’t shy to the TV screen also, with notable lead roles in television shows such as BET drama series Being Mary Jane from 2013 to 2019.

Gabrielle can also add best-selling authors to her CV, with four books and two memoirs: 2017’s We’re Going to Need More Wine, 2021’s You Got Anything Stronger and two children’s books 2020’s Welcome to the Party and 2021’s Shady Baby. 

In 2020, the Teen Choice Award winner was included on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, for her emboldened stance on issues centering around violence against women, women’s health including infertility and LGBTQ+ equality. 

Last year, Gabrielle alongside her basketball-legend husband Dwayne Wade 42, received the prestigious President’s Award from the NAACP Image awards for their humanitarian efforts. 

In recent years, the actress has taken her acting powers to streamers such as Disney+'s 2022 remake of family comedy Cheaper By The Dozen, as well as Netflix's 2023’s rom-com The Perfect Find.

The red carpet head-turner often posts hilarious viral comedy clips on Instagram to her 21 million followers,  with her children Kaavia, 5, and step-daughter Zaya, 16.