Danielle Brooks
Acting • Born 1989-09-17
Biography
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.
Filmography
55 credits
Fireproof
Movie • 2008
Young Catherine (voice)
The Color Purple
Movie • 2023
Sofia
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
Movie • 2022
Self
A Minecraft Movie
Movie • 2025
Dawn
I Dream Too Much
Movie • 2016
Abbey
The Angry Birds Movie
Movie • 2016
Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
Oprah & The Color Purple Journey
Movie • 2023
Self
Time Out of Mind
Movie • 2015
Receptionist
The Same Difference
Movie • 2015
Oh. What. Fun.
Movie • 2025
Morgan
Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image
Movie • 2017
Herself
The Day Shall Come
Movie • 2019
Venus Al Shabaz
Sadie
Movie • 2018
Carla
All the Little Things We Kill
Movie • 2021
Claire Soto
Clemency
Movie • 2019
Evette Wilkinson
The Public's Much Ado About Nothing
Movie • 2019
Beatrice
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Movie • 2021
Mahalia Jackson
Eat Wheaties!
Movie • 2020
Wendy
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
Movie • 2020
Jordana Bachman
The Bad Guys 2
Movie • 2025
Kitty Kat (voice)
Modern Love
Movie • 2012
Raimy
Bad Day
Movie
If I Go Will They Miss Me
Movie • 2026
Lozita
A Minecraft Movie 2
Movie • 2027
Dawn
Orange Is the New Black
TV • 2013
Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson
The Daily Show
TV • 1996
Self
Karma’s World
TV • 2021
Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (voice)
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self
Get Organized with The Home Edit
TV • 2020
Project Runway
TV • 2004
Self
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
TV • 2017
Ruthless Ruth (voice)
Lip Sync Battle
TV • 2015
Self
Project Runway
TV • 2004
Self - Guest Judge
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV • 2022
Self
Instant Dream Home
TV • 2022
Self - Host
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
Trailblazer Honors
TV • 2014
Self - Honoree
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self - Guest
The View
TV • 1997
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self - Guest
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Tamron Hall
TV • 2019
Self - Guest
Close Enough
TV • 2020
Pearle Watson (voice)
Peacemaker
TV • 2022
Leota Adebayo
Master of None
TV • 2015
Shannon
Finding Your Roots
TV • 2012
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
TV • 2020
Self
Social Distance
TV • 2020
Imani
Sherri
TV • 2022
Self - Guest
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV • 2019
Self - Guest
The One Show
TV • 2006
Self
Family Recipe Showdown
TV • 2025
Guest Judge
Top Chef VIP
TV • 2022
Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self - Guest