Grab your popcorn and don your favorite throwback jersey, folks—because this behind-the-scenes tale from the late ’90s sounds juicier than a teen rom-com plot. Matthew Lawrence, best known for Boy Meets World, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the brother-powered sitcom Brotherly Love, spilled the tea on the Magical Rewind podcast about the one and only time he was summoned to the studio “principal’s office”—all thanks to none other than the fabulous Gabrielle Union.
Trouble in Hockey Paradise
The setting? Disney’s 1999 made-for-TV flick H-E Double Hockey Sticks, a quirky little movie that had angels, devils, and a dash of hockey mayhem. Lawrence played Dave, a hotshot hockey player whose soul an eager young devil (played by Will Friedle) was sent to snatch. Meanwhile, a then up-and-coming Gabrielle Union joined the cast, ready to break out in Hollywood faster than a puck sailing across the ice.
The Great Rehearsal Rumble
According to Lawrence, everything was running smoothly—until Union insisted they rehearse a scene. You’d think any aspiring star would jump at the chance to perfect lines with Gabrielle Union, right? Well, not exactly. Lawrence believed that “too much rehearsing” zapped the spontaneity out of his performance (hey, we’ve all tried to wing it in school plays and hoped for the best). So he politely declined.
Uh-Oh…He Declined Gabrielle Union?!
Apparently, Union was not a fan of freewheeling it without a little extra prep. She reported him to the bigwigs, sending Lawrence straight to the dreaded director’s office. It was the first—and only—time in his career that he was called out for wrongdoing on set. Let’s just say that might have made for a pretty awkward lunch break.
Lawrence recounted the incident with a mix of mortification and amusement, explaining how he genuinely had no idea that a quick “no thanks” would ruffle any feathers. He was simply convinced multiple takes on camera would bring out that authentic spark. The higher-ups understood his reasoning (and presumably nodded sympathetically), but that still didn’t stop him from feeling a wee bit embarrassed.
A Star on the Rise
Despite the hiccup, Lawrence admits everyone on set could see that Union was a shining star in the making. Fresh off appearances in 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s All That, Union was already a force—and soon she’d take on iconic roles in Love & Basketball and Bring It On. Not to mention, she’d go on to dazzle us in Deliver Us from Eva, Bad Boys II, and as the lead in TV hits like Being Mary Jane. In other words, any friction on set certainly didn’t stall her skyrocketing career.