Danielle Brooks
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Sep 17, 1989 (age 37)
- Place of birth
- Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Credits
- 55
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.
Known for
The Angry Birds Movie
2016Movie
Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
Peacemaker
2022TV
Leota Adebayo
A Minecraft Movie
2025Movie
Dawn
Orange Is the New Black
2013TV
Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson
The Bad Guys 2
2025Movie
Kitty Kat (voice)
Fireproof
2008Movie
Young Catherine (voice)
Filmography
A Minecraft Movie Squared
2027Movie
Dawn
Bad Day
2026Movie
If I Go Will They Miss Me
2026Movie
Lozita
Oh. What. Fun.
2025Movie
Morgan
The Bad Guys 2
2025Movie
Kitty Kat (voice)
Family Recipe Showdown
2025TV
Guest Judge
A Minecraft Movie
2025Movie
Dawn
Oprah & The Color Purple Journey
2023Movie
Self
The Color Purple
2023Movie
Sofia
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022TV
Self - Guest
Sherri
2022TV
Self - Guest
Instant Dream Home
2022TV
Self - Host
Top Chef VIP
2022TV
Self
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
2022Movie
Self
Peacemaker
2022TV
Leota Adebayo
Podly: The Peacemaker Podcast
2022TV
Self
Karma’s World
2021TV
Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (voice)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
2021Movie
Mahalia Jackson
All the Little Things We Kill
2021Movie
Claire Soto
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
2020Movie
Jordana Bachman
Social Distance
2020TV
Imani
Eat Wheaties!
2020Movie
Wendy
Get Organized with The Home Edit
2020TV
Close Enough
2020TV
Pearle Watson (voice)
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
2020TV
Self
Clemency
2019Movie
Evette Wilkinson
The Public's Much Ado About Nothing
2019Movie
Beatrice
The Day Shall Come
2019Movie
Venus Al Shabaz
The Tamron Hall Show
2019TV
Self - Guest
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019TV
Self - Guest
Sadie
2018Movie
Carla
Steve
2017TV
Self
Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image
2017Movie
Herself
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
2017TV
Ruthless Ruth (voice)
I Dream Too Much
2016Movie
Abbey
The Angry Birds Movie
2016Movie
Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
Master of None
2015TV
Shannon
Time Out of Mind
2015Movie
Receptionist
The Same Difference
2015Movie
Lip Sync Battle
2015TV
Self
Trailblazer Honors
2014TV
Self - Honoree
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014TV
Self, Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014TV
Self - Guest
Orange Is the New Black
2013TV
Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson
Modern Love
2012Movie
Raimy
Finding Your Roots
2012TV
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009TV
Self - Guest
Fireproof
2008Movie
Young Catherine (voice)
The One Show
2006TV
Self
Project Runway
2004TV
Self, Self - Guest Judge
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003TV
Self, Self - Guest
The View
1997TV
Self - Guest
The Daily Show
1996TV
Self, Self - Guest
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988TV
Self - Guest
The Oscars
1953TV
Self