Actress Gabrielle Union is a star in her own right and does not need the monetary reward that comes with marrying NBA star Dwayne Wade.

Union recently revealed that she and her husband have signed a prenuptial agreement before they were married in August last year. Fox News revealed that the actress was the one who asked to protect her earnings.

"For women in Hollywood, when they're coupling, everything is about the brand. Everything is about latching on to a rising star, so you can kick your heels up. That's never been my story, ever," Union said in the Fox News article.

She added that she wants people to know how hard she works and how her career has prospered.

"I want people to know the work that it took to get through UCLA, that I had student loans and worked. I was eating Top Ramen and lived well below my means. Now that it's time to get married to a man who happens to play basketball and has done well for himself, I want to make it clear that I have in no way hitched my wagon to his star. I have my own wagon and star," the actress added.

Surely, Union wants to be known for her own achievements and not just be tied to her husband's name, thus making it clear how independent she is and what kind of life the couple both share.

On 'Being Mary Jane'

A Sports World News story, on the other hand, noted that the "Bring it On" star does not want to be likened to "Scandal" star Kerry Washington just because her show, "Being Mary Jane", also features the character of a powerful woman.

"What bugs me is that they're making the comparison because they're both shows that star black women. It's such apples and oranges. It's like comparing 'True Detective' and 'Law & Order' - you would never do that. What it says is we need so much more diversity in TV. We need shows starring women of color or women of a certain age or women who aren't a size 2. If that happens, the world isn't going to end," she was quoted by Sports World News as saying.

According to Yahoo Sports, Union plays broadcast journalist Mary Jane Paul in the series. The actress reportedly said that she can relate to the character so much because she herself is a news junkie.

"In my real life, I watch a lot of CNN. It's on right now. It's kind of one of those things that's always on in the background in general. Most days I read three newspapers. I read the Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times. I've always been very interested in the news. It's about wanting to be informed, and wanting to hear different perspectives on thing. A lot of people think about the same thing a lot of different ways," Union added.