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Gabrielle Union Gets Real About Life as a Mom: ‘Balance Doesn’t Exactly Exist’ Anymore (Exclusive)

Bring it on! Gabrielle Union’s life as a mom isn’t always rainbows and butterflies — but she’s doing her best.

Related: Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade Through the Years

“The impression [of celebrity mothers is] that you’re perfect and beyond reproach,” the Breaking In actress, 46, told Us Weekly exclusively at the America’s Got Talent live show on Tuesday, August 27. “If you’re somebody that dares to have help, then that’s the new Hollywood mom narrative. So it really is kind of like, whatever.”

Union added of herself: “I just do the best that I can. I am super honest and transparent. Balance doesn’t exactly exist in my life. The idea of balance is a lack of balance and just admitting that and being, like, ‘I’m doing the best that I can and hopefully that people that love me still love me when I’m not hitting it out of the park in every area of my life.’”

Gabrielle Union Flaws as a Mom Photo Dress THE R X Ch
Gabrielle Union arrives for ‘America’s Got Talent’ at the Dolby Theatre on August 27, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Related: Kim Kardashian, Jimmy Fallon and More Celebrities Who Used Surrogates

The AGT judge — who shares 9-month-old daughter, Kaavia, with husband Dwyane Wade — is also stepmom to the retired NBA star’s sons Zaire, 17, Zion, 12, and Xavier, 5, from previous relationships.

“As long as Kaav is alive … and there’s food,” Union joked of her motherhood duties. “This weekend it was getting everybody Popeyes sandwiches — that was a win for us! [But], maybe not everyone showered.”

Related: Stars Who Struggled to Conceive Children

Earlier this month, Union opened up to Us about being a working mom — and not letting others make her feel bad about it.

“I don’t have mom guilt, and I’ll tell you why. Being able to have the job that I love and the baby that I dreamed of [is great]. I’m a better mom because I’m able to go away and do what I love,” she told Us. “Even if I failed miserably, I’m following my dreams. … I would be less of a mother if I didn’t set out every day to try to make my dreams come true and other people’s dreams come true. So I don’t have guilt.”

Union and Wade, 37, welcomed Kaavia via surrogate in November 2018.

With reporting by Taylor Ferber

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