Prince Albert II of Monaco opened the 59th Monte Carlo Television Festival on Friday at a glittering ceremony at the principality’s Grimaldi Forum attended by Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba. The Hollywood actresses presented the French premiere of their action cop series “L.A.’s Finest,” which has just been renewed for a second season.
“You typically don’t get to see two women as stars of this genre – usually you get to see men – and the women typically service the male story but in ours the story revolves around us, and I think it’s refreshing and it’s different and it’s cool,” Alba said, greeting by warm applause from the Monégasque audience.
Union spoke about her character, Syd Burnett, a police detective with a complicated past, who she first played in the 2003 Sony blockbuster “Bad Boys II.” Burnett is “sexually adventurous… enjoys a good time, but she is incredibly capable,” Union said. “Some people run from their demons, she’s running towards [them].”
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After Alba’s character was cheekily described by the perky presenter as a “regular housewife,” she fired back, directing the gaze of the audience to her glamorous dress, “No. Do I look like a regular housewife? Come on, guys!” This was greeted with loud cheers and whistles. “She’s strong, she’s independent, she kicks ass, she takes names, and she decides that a man can be in her life and her equal, but she doesn’t need him.”
Union said she greatly enjoyed the series’ action scenes. “We have a blast. Being able to kick butt, be funny, be sexy, be mysterious… they usually reserve that just for men but, listen, when you don’t service literally half of the population of the world you do yourself a disservice. Not only are you a bad person, you are a bad businessperson. So we are here to be amazing actors, great business-women and equal opportunities entertainers.”
Union said that if she was in a spinoff called “Monaco’s Finest,” she would need a new love interest and suggested champion racing driver Lewis Hamilton, a resident of Monaco.
Other celebrities attending the ceremony included Ricky Whittle, star of “American Gods,” Lindsey Morgan and Richard Harmon, the stars of “The 100,” “Instinct” star Alan Cumming, and Sharon Case, Amelia Heinle and Camryn Grimes from “The Young and the Restless.”