Actress Gabrielle Union defends 'Birth of a Nation' against director rape accusations

Gabrielle Union has a small but powerful part in the upcoming film "The Birth of a Nation," and she's become a key player in the media storm swirling around it, too.

Following the surfacing of a rape accusation against director Nate Parker, dating back to his time in college, as well as news that the woman who accused him had killed herself, many have become easy with the rollout of the movie, which won the top prize at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and is expected to be an awards contender.

Union recently wrote an op-ed about the issue, saying, "I cannot take these allegations lightly." She also revealed that she herself is a rape survivor. In "Birth of a Nation," she plays a slave who is raped.

At the Toronto International Film Festival, where "Birth of a Nation" is currently playing, she articulately defended the film in a press conference, as Vulture reports, and attempted to persuade those protesting the film because of the rape charges to see it for themselves.

When asked about the reaction to her op-ed, Union said, "five percent feels I threw Nate under the bus, and five percent feels I'm a rape apologist."

She explained why the negativity on both sides doesn't deter her from speaking her mind:

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