DB
Danielle Brooks
ActorBorn September 17, 1989 (36 years)
Danielle Brooks is an American actress whose work spans television, film, and Broadway. She first gained widespread recognition as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), a role that became one of the series’ emotional centers and established her as a major presence on television.
She later reached a broader mainstream audience starring as Leota Adebayo in James Gunn’s HBO series Peacemaker, where her performance played a central role in the show’s balance of action, satire, and character-driven storytelling. The series marked a high-profile expansion of her work into genre television tied to DC Comics.
Brooks made her Broadway debut in 2015 as Sofia in the revival of The Color Purple, earning a Tony Award nomination and winning a Grammy Award with the cast. She reprised the role in the 2023 film adaptation, a performance that brought her nominations from the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and Golden Globes, solidifying her transition into major film roles.
Alongside acting, Brooks has taken on producing and hosting work. She portrayed Mahalia Jackson in the television biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (2021), serving as an executive producer and earning a Primetime Emmy nomination. She later hosted Netflix’s Instant Dream Home, receiving a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work as a program host.
Brooks has continued to balance screen and stage appearances, returning to Broadway in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and starring in the fantasy adventure comedy A Minecraft Movie, further expanding her range across genres.
She later reached a broader mainstream audience starring as Leota Adebayo in James Gunn’s HBO series Peacemaker, where her performance played a central role in the show’s balance of action, satire, and character-driven storytelling. The series marked a high-profile expansion of her work into genre television tied to DC Comics.
Brooks made her Broadway debut in 2015 as Sofia in the revival of The Color Purple, earning a Tony Award nomination and winning a Grammy Award with the cast. She reprised the role in the 2023 film adaptation, a performance that brought her nominations from the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and Golden Globes, solidifying her transition into major film roles.
Alongside acting, Brooks has taken on producing and hosting work. She portrayed Mahalia Jackson in the television biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (2021), serving as an executive producer and earning a Primetime Emmy nomination. She later hosted Netflix’s Instant Dream Home, receiving a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work as a program host.
Brooks has continued to balance screen and stage appearances, returning to Broadway in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and starring in the fantasy adventure comedy A Minecraft Movie, further expanding her range across genres.
Danielle Brooks Filmography
| 2026 | If I Go Will They Miss Me · as Cast |
| 2025 | Oh. What. Fun. · as Morgan |
| 2025 | The Bad Guys 2 · as Kitty Kat |
| 2025 | A Minecraft Movie · as Dawn |
| 2023 | The Color Purple · as Sofia |
| 2022 | Peacemaker (TV Series) · as Leota Adebayo |
| 2021 | Karma's World (TV Series) · as Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant |
| 2021 | Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia · as Mahalia Jackson |
| 2020 | Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine · as Jordana Bachman |
| 2020 | Social Distance (TV Series) · as Imani |
| 2020 | Eat Wheaties! · as Wendy |
| 2020 | Close Enough (TV Series) · as Pearle |
| 2019 | Clemency · as Evette Wilkinson |
| 2019 | The Public's Much Ado About Nothing · as Beatrice |
| 2019 | The Day Shall Come · as Venus |
| 2019 | All the Little Things We Kill · as Claire Soto |
| 2018 | Sadie · as Carla |
| 2017 | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (TV Series) · as Ruthless Ruth |
| 2016 | High Maintenance (2016) (TV Series) · as Regine |
| 2016 | Elena of Avalor (TV Series) · as Charica |
| 2016 | The Angry Birds Movie · as Olive Blue |
| 2015 | I Dream Too Much · as Abbey |
| 2015 | Master of None (TV Series) · as Shannon |
| 2014 | Time Out of Mind · as Receptionist |
| 2014 | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (TV Series) · as Tasha 'taystee' Jefferson |
| 2013 | Orange Is the New Black (TV Series) · as Tasha 'taystee' Jefferson |
| 2012 | Girls (TV Series) · as Laura |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Beatrice |
| 2025 | The 78th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2024 | The Oscars · as Self - Nominee |
| 2024 | The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2024 | The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2024 | 81st Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2023 | OWN Celebrates the New Color Purple · as Self |
| 2023 | BravoCon Live with Andy Cohen! (TV Series) · as Self - Video Message |
| 2022 | The Jennifer Hudson Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2022 | Sherri (2022) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Instant Dream Home (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 2022 | The 75th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2021 | DC FanDome 2021 · as Self |
| 2021 | Soul of a Nation (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Get Organized with The Home Edit (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | GMA3: What You Need to Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Bottomless Brunch at Colman's (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Floored (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Judge |
| 2019 | The Kelly Clarkson Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2019 | Tamron Hall (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | 49th NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet · as Self |
| 2017 | Drop the Mic (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Steve (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image · as Self |
| 2017 | Talking with Chris Hardwick (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2017 | The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2016 | Harry (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | The 70th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2015 | The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | IMDb on the Scene - Interviews (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Red Nose Day · as Self |
| 2015 | Lip Sync Battle (TV Series) · as Self - Competitor |
| 2015 | The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2014 | The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | Black Girls Rock! 2013 · as Self |
| 2013 | The Broadway.Com Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Project Runway All Stars (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Judge |
| 2011 | The Chew (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2011 | Dish Nation (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | The Talk (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Alan Carr: Chatty Man (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | The Wendy Williams Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Project Runway (TV Series) · as Self - Actress |
| 2004 | The Insider (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Theater Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1995 | E! Live from the Red Carpet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | E! News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | SAG Foundation Conversations (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |