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Danielle Brooks

Highest Rated: 92% Clemency (2019)

Lowest Rated: 44% The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

Birthday: Sep 17, 1989

Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia, USA

Danielle Brooks landed a role most acting graduates only dream of when she took on the part of Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson in the hit series "Orange is the New Black" (Netflix 2013-) just two years after graduating from Juilliard. Taystee was a bubbly, foul-mouthed inmate at a women's correctional facility who quickly became the show's breakout character. Brooks was born on September 17, 1989 in Greenville, South Carolina. As the daughter of a minister and a deacon, she discovered her love of music and drama in the church, which helped to shape her future ambitions and moral center. She started acting in church plays at the age of six and was inspired to try out for Juilliard School after seeing a powerful performance of "The Color Purple" on Broadway. To her surprise, she nailed the audition and graduated from the prestigious drama school in 2011. After graduating, she found herself juggling two roles: one in the Shakespeare Theater Company production of "The Servant of Two Masters" (2012) and the other in "Blacken the Bubble" (2012). While her stage work suited her formal training at school, she ended up having to leave both productions for the opportunity to appear on the Netflix dramedy. Initially slated to only appear in a few episodes, her interpretation of the character impressed the show's creator, Jenji Kohan (previously responsible for creating the series "Weeds" (Showtime 2005-2012)) and was announced as a series regular. Based on Piper Kerman's memoir about her time spent in prison for money laundering and the subsequent relationships she forged with her fellow inmates, "Orange Is The New Black" struck a chord with audiences and critics alike. Brooks prepared for the role by studying Kerman's book and watching countless hours of the show "Beyond Scared Straight" (A&E 2011-). The show also reunited her with her friend of six years and fellow Julliard alum Samira Wiley, who played Taystee's enemy turned soulmate Poussey. Bringing a vivacious energy to the role, Brooks described her character as the light inside the prison. Brooks also became the first African-American female character on the show "Girls" (HBO 2012-17), making a guest star appearance in the show's third season. Brooks also appeared in an episode of Aziz Ansari's sitcom "Master of None" (Netflix 2015- ) and took on a voice role in the animated hit "The Angry Birds Movie" (2016) while continuing her work on "Orange is the New Black."

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Highest rated movies

92% 65% Clemency Watchlist 81% 95% The Color Purple Watchlist
80% 42% Time Out of Mind
Watchlist
78% 78% Sadie Watchlist 67% 85% Eat Wheaties! Watchlist 65% 50% The Day Shall Come Watchlist 44% 47% The Angry Birds Movie Watchlist The Bad Guys 2 Watchlist 85% Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image Watchlist
62% I Dream Too Much
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bad Guys 2 Kitty Kat (Voice) - 2025
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Minecraft Movie Dawn (Character) - 2025
81% 95% The Color Purple Sofia (Character) $60.6M 2023
67% 85% Eat Wheaties! Wendy (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet 77% Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia Mahalia Jackson (Character) - 2021
92% 65% Clemency Evette (Character) $361.7K 2019
65% 50% The Day Shall Come Venus (Character) $24.9K 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet All the Little Things We Kill Claire Soto (Character) - 2019
78% 78% Sadie Carla (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet 85% Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image Unknown (Character) - 2017
44% 47% The Angry Birds Movie Olive Blue, Monica the Crossing Guard (Voice) $107.5M 2016
No Score Yet 62% I Dream Too Much Abbey (Character) - 2015
80% 42% Time Out of Mind Receptionist (Character) $162.3K 2014

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Finding Your Roots Guest 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2024
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2016 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jennifer Hudson Show Guest 2023
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2022-2023
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2016-2017 2019 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange Host 2019-2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Karma's World Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (Voice) 2021-2022
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Guest 2022
No Score Yet 51% Instant Dream Home Host 2022
No Score Yet 91% Close Enough Pearle (Voice) 2020-2022
88% 9% Get Organized With The Home Edit Guest 2022
93% 89% Peacemaker Leota Adebayo (Character) 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2021
58% 73% Social Distance Unknown (Character) 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Floored Judge 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Great Performances Unknown (Character) 2019
90% 82% Orange Is the New Black Taystee (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
2013-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Elena of Avalor Charica (Guest Voice) 2018
98% 80% High Maintenance Unknown (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Project Runway All Stars Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Harry Guest 2016-2017
No Score Yet 81% Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson (Guest Star) 2017
No Score Yet 81% Tangled: The Series Ruthless Ruth (Guest Voice) 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Chew Guest 2016-2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lip Sync Battle Contestant 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2015-2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Guest 2014 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daily Show Guest 2016
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet 106 & Park Unknown (Character),
Guest
2014
89% 76% Girls Laura (Guest Star) 2014