Acting · Augusta, Georgia, USA · Born September 17, 1989
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.
MovieA Minecraft Movie Squared
2027
as Dawn
MovieIf I Go Will They Miss Me
2026
as Lozita
MovieOh. What. Fun.
2025
as Morgan
MovieThe Bad Guys 2
2025
as Kitty Kat (voice)
TVFamily Recipe Showdown
2025
as Guest Judge
MovieA Minecraft Movie
2025
as Dawn
MovieOprah & The Color Purple Journey
2023
as Self
MovieThe Color Purple
2023
as Sofia
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self
TVSherri
2022
as Self - Guest
TVInstant Dream Home
2022
as Self - Host
TVTop Chef VIP
2022
as Self
MovieSoul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
2022
as Self
TVPeacemaker
2022
as Leota Adebayo
TVPodly: The Peacemaker Podcast
2022
as Self
TVKarma’s World
2021
as Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (voice)
MovieRobin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
2021
as Mahalia Jackson
MovieAll the Little Things We Kill
2021
as Claire Soto
MovieSarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
2020
as Jordana Bachman
TVSocial Distance
2020
as Imani
MovieEat Wheaties!
2020
as Wendy
TVGet Organized with The Home Edit
2020
TVClose Enough
2020
as Pearle Watson (voice)
TVBottomless Brunch at Colman's
2020
as Self
MovieClemency
2019
as Evette Wilkinson
MovieThe Public's Much Ado About Nothing
2019
as Beatrice
MovieThe Day Shall Come
2019
as Venus Al Shabaz
TVTamron Hall
2019
as Self - Guest
TVThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self - Guest
MovieSadie
2018
as Carla
TVSteve
2017
as Self
MovieStraight/Curve: Redefining Body Image
2017
as Herself
TVRapunzel's Tangled Adventure
2017
as Ruthless Ruth (voice)
MovieI Dream Too Much
2016
as Abbey
MovieThe Angry Birds Movie
2016
as Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
TVMaster of None
2015
as Shannon
MovieTime Out of Mind
2015
as Receptionist
MovieThe Same Difference
2015
TVLip Sync Battle
2015
as Self
TVTrailblazer Honors
2014
as Self - Honoree
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self - Guest
TVOrange Is the New Black
2013
as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson
Modern Love
2012
as Raimy
TVFinding Your Roots
2012
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MovieFireproof
2008
as Young Catherine (voice)
TVThe One Show
2006
as Self
TVProject Runway
2004
as Self
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
TVThe View
1997
as Self - Guest
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
Bad Day
TVWaller
as Leota Adebayo
