Danielle Brittany Brooks (born September 17, 1989) popularly known as Danielle Brooks, is an American actress and singer who came to prominence for her role Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in the Netflix original series, Orange is the New Black. She is also known for her role as Sofia in The Color Purple.
She won the Breakthrough Actress at Young Hollywood Award and also the Best Musical theater album at Grammy Award (2017).
| Danielle Brooks | |
|---|---|
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| Quick Facts | |
| Real Name: | Danielle Brittany Brooks |
| Birth Date: | September 17, 1989 |
| Birth Place: | Augusta, Georgia, U.S |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Actresd |
| Husband: | Dennis Gelin (m. 2021) |
| Net Worth: | $1 million |
Early Life
Brooks was born on September 17, 1989 in Augusta, Georgia, United States. She was raised in a christian family in South Carolina as her father was a deacon while her mother a minister.
She went to South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities and also studied drama at the Julliard School.
Career
Brooks started acting at the age of six in Church. She came through professionally in 2013 where she became known for her role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black”.
She later upgraded from a recurring cast member to a series regular for the show’s second season.
She was also cast in third season episode of the HBO series Girls, in September 2013, where she became the first African-American actress on the show.
She made her Broadway debut as Sofia in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple. She played the role of Beatrice in the Public Theater’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, in June 2019.
She was also announced to star in a Broadway revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson in 2022 with the likes of John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson.
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Filmography
- The Public’s Much Ado About Nothing
- The Angry Birds Movie
- I Dream Too Much
- Girls
- Orange is the New Black
- Modern Love
- Close Enough
Personal Life
Brooks got married to Dennis Gelin in 2020.
She made the announcement that she was pregnant with her first child in July 2019 and eventually gave birth to a baby girl named Freeya Carel Gelin, on November 16, 2019.
Awards & Nominations
Brooks has won several awards such as:
- Breakthrough Actress at Young Hollywood Awards (2013)
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a comedy series at Screen Actors Guild Awards (2015)
- Best Musical Theater Album at Grammy Awards (2017)
She has nominations such as;
Distinguished Performance at Drama League Award (2020)
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical at Outer Critics Circle Award (2016)
Best Featured Actress in a Musical at Tony Award (2016)
Net Worth
Danielle Brooks is an American actor with an estimated net worth of $1 million.
Social Media
- Instagram: @daniebb3
