Gabrielle Union Praises Paparazzi for Snapping an 'Amazing' Bikini Butt Photo of Her on Vacation

Like most stars, Gabrielle Union has seen some not-so-flattering paparazzi photos of herself on the internet. But when the America’s Got Talent judge saw some bikini photos captured as she showered on a yacht in Saint-Tropez with Dwyane Wade during their fifth wedding anniversary vacation, she was very pleased with how they turned out.

“The paparazzi catching that amazing ass shot, I mean hello, highlight!” Union, 46, tells PEOPLE backstage at America’s Got Talent. “I’m not in the gym doing those squats for nothing. It’s for moments like that.”

She adds: “I was like ‘Oh my gosh,’ because usually you’re looking at paparazzi pictures and like, ‘Oh God, they captured me exhaling or you know just living.’ That paparazzi is gonna get a gift bag, they shot my ass so beautifully! I was so happy.”

Union hasn’t been afraid to flaunt her bikini body on her own Instagram feed, too. As a cheeky way to encourage her followers to tune into an episode of America’s Got Talent, Union shared a bikini photo that left little to the imagination.

The shot showed Union in a string crochet bikini. The actress, posing in front of a body of water, paired the look with a bronze eye and shimmering lip. Union’s hair was held back by a wire headband.

“Suns out…#Agt’s out 🤷🏾‍♀️ See you tonight,” she captioned the picture.

Earlier this year, the star opened up to PEOPLE about “finally” feeling like her best, most confident self 10 years after her first no makeup shoot for PEOPLE’s annual Beautiful Issue.

“Once I kind of made peace with who I am and where I’m at and being 46, I actually feel pretty, pretty solid about being back here 10 years later, shooting again with no makeup,” she said. “Because I’m finally really okay with me.”

— with reporting by Karen Mizoguchi