When casting the role of Eva, director Gary Hardwick was looking for an actress who could instantly change from sexy and funny to caustic and dramatic. Hardwick had directed Gabrielle Union in "The Brothers" and he believed she would be the perfect Eva. "Gabrielle has been on the verge for a while. She's a wonderful actress, very gifted and with marvelous comic timing. She's sexy, and she can make you laugh or she can make you cry. You want to watch her to see just exactly what she's going to do next. She has all the tools of a leading lady, and at a young age, too."

GABRIELLE UNION ('Eva')

What can people learn from "Eva?"
I think that at the end of the day, the overall message that I hope people get is compromise is key. As a newly married person, as much as I would love for my husband to buy into the 'my way or the highway' philosophy, you realize it's all about compromising and finding some sort of middle ground that everyone can live with. You understand that Eva's motivation for everything that she does, albeit she gets a little overzealous, is her love for her sisters. But you figure out a way to compromise, like I can still love you and still give you some advice without taking over your life. With Todd [aka LL Cool J], it's like he comes in and sweeps her off her feet and she kind of gets caught up in the whole whirlwind, but she can still have her life and still get the guy. It's like meeting somewhere in the middle is the overall message - and fun and laughter.

How much fun was it to be Eva?
Oh, good fun. I had a ball being Eva. It's like you can say all the things you want to say without the fear of violence. It's a great time.

How long did it take to find that stern look?
Not long. It's the same look that my father gave me, so I just stole it. So, that wasn't hard at all.

Are you comfortable doing comedy?
Yes, it was more of a broad comedy than I've ever experienced yet. I'm usually the conscience of the film. I'm like the 'Yoda' or the 'Bagger Vance.' I don't normally get to be that big. And with Eva, she had such a bigger-than-life personality, but I based her on an amalgamation of a bunch of people that I've come across. She's a bit of me, but [also] those people who are just larger than life, who are just extra in a bad way that you don't want to be around. She's that person. She's kind of a bit of me in high school before I matured a little bit, and definitely the anal retentiveness side of my personality. But yeah, it's just a matter of figuring out that middle ground of being helpful without being completely domineering.

What is it about LL Cool J?
The ladies love cool James. I mean, there's the obvious thing, the shell. There's the six-pack and then the lip-licking thing that a lot of people like. He's got that disarming smile that just makes you melt. And I like that he giggles. I wasn't expecting that laugh. It's the craziest sounding laugh for someone of his size. It's just like, "Oh my god, I love you." He's just that guy and he's such a complete entertainer. Just the way he comes across with the bravado but yet some of his songs are kind of sensitive, he's got that duality that women just love. And he's enough of a man's man, the guys want to take him out to the golf course or go have a beer and go to Hooters. He's still a guy's guy as well.

Your character is very into horses. Do you really ride?
Yes, I started riding when I was eight. I love horses. I'm really comfortable. And Todd, fortunately for him, the character was written that he was bad, which worked for him because Todd and horses don't really mix. I think the horses are like, "You're as big as I am. Why are you getting on my back?" He didn't have good luck at all. We shot a video in Hawaii with this white horse that hated Todd. It saw him coming and it took off. I'm like, "There's something about you and horses." I think they can sense that he just is not comfortable. I'm not sure exactly what it is.

Anything surprise you about acting and Hollywood?
The friendships that can be made. I just kind of assumed that you do a movie and then you leave and you hop onto the next thing. I never thought that people are actually buddies. When you see them at awards shows and they're hugging, I just thought that was all for show. I didn't really get that you stay friends and you make these amazing, lasting friendships. I still have the same friendships that I made from "10 Things I Hate About You" and "She's All That" that I have now. It's kind of weird.

Who do you still hang out with?
From "10 Things," whoever's in town. When Julia's [Stiles] in town or Heath [Ledger], but Heath's all over the place with Naomi [Watts]. But all the "10 Things" gang, whenever we're in town, we all get together. "She's All That," Dule Hill from "The West Wing," he's one of my closest friends. We see Freddie Prinze, Jr., and Paul Walker was just in Miami with us doing "Fast and the Furious." That whole teen crew, the brat pack for the new millennium, sort of still all hangs out.

Ever have an 'Eva' moment?
The last time my husband [loaded the dishwasher]. I don't get how people just think there are little hands in the dishwasher. They think there are little hands with little scouring pads. I'm like, "If you couldn't get it off, what makes you think the dishwasher could?" So, I had a little Eva moment. He's like, "It's a little piece of spaghetti." I'm like, "But where do you think it goes? Onto a glass. It doesn't just disappear." I had a little moment with the dishwashing, and I don't really like how he makes the bed so I remake it.

What does he do wrong?
He just doesn't tuck things in right. It's like so loosey-goosey. This is not what I want. You want to come home to a nice firm bed with the corners tucked in so you start over, like each night is like a new night. I don't function well in chaos, whether it be my sheets or the dishwasher. He doesn't use the Jet Dry. "Oh, forget about the Jet Dry. Who needs the Jet Dry?" I like to open up the dishwasher to sparkling glasses, not water spots and pieces of spaghetti.

Do you do anything that drives him nuts?
Other than that? We don't really agree on movies, so I drag him to... I think after "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" he was like, "That's it." I always say, "Well, we'll decide when we get there." And it just so happens that when we arrive, the movies that are right about to start are romantic comedies. I don't know why the shoot-em-up killer, gangland movies don't start for another hour. That's not my problem. So yeah, the movie choices, the house cleaning thing, and constantly with the coasters. There's a reason we have coasters. There's no place for water spots, or water rings. Those are hard to get out. There's a reason God made coasters.