Danielle Brooks is an award-winning actress and producer who rose to fame for portraying Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.
She is also known for her acclaimed performance as Sofia in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple and for her role in the film adaptation of the same musical.
Profile
- Full name: Danielle Moné Truitt
- Nickname: Danielle Brooks
- Date of birth: September 17, 1989
- Age: 35 years old
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Actress, producer, singer, voice actor, podcaster
- Height: 5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
- Parents: Dunnel and LaRita Brooks
- Siblings: Darrell Brooks (brother)
- Spouse: Dennis Gelin (m. 2022)
- Children: Freeya Carel Gelin (daughter)
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $4 million
Early Life and Education
Danielle Brooks, now 35, was born on September 17, 1989, in Augusta, Georgia, USA. She is the daughter of Dunnel and LaRita Brooks, both Christians and works as a BMW worker and a teacher, respectively.
She has a younger brother named Darrell Brooks. She grew up in a religious and musical family and started singing in the church choir at six.
She attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, where she studied drama.
She then moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and enrolled at the Juilliard School, where she graduated in 2011.
She met her close friend and co-star Samira Wiley at Juilliard, and they both auditioned for Orange Is the New Black.
Personal Life
Danielle Brooks is happily married to Dennis Gelin, a fitness instructor she met in 2017. They tied the knot on January 13, 2022, in a private ceremony attended by their family and friends.
They have a daughter named Freeya Carel Gelin, born November 16, 2019. Brooks announced her pregnancy on Instagram and shared her joy and excitement with her fans.
She also documented her journey as a new mother on her podcast, Mommy I Made It, where she interviewed other celebrity moms and discussed parenting, self-care, and career topics.
She is a body-positive advocate and a vocal Black Lives Matter movement supporter. She is also involved in various charitable causes, such as the American Diabetes Association, the Women’s Prison Association, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Career
Danielle Brooks has had a remarkable career as an actress and producer, spanning television, film, theater, and music.
She made her television debut in 2012, appearing in an episode of the HBO series Girls. She then landed her breakthrough role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, which premiered in 2013.
She played a witty and charismatic inmate who struggles with poverty, addiction, and injustice. She received critical acclaim and numerous awards and nominations for her performance, including a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an NAACP Image Award.
She also became a fan favorite and a cultural icon and was featured on the covers of magazines such as Essence, Ebony, and Glamour.
She made her Broadway debut in 2015, playing Sofia in the musical revival of The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker’s novel.
She starred alongside Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo and delivered a powerful and emotional performance.
She received a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy Award for her work in the musical and earned the praise of critics and audiences alike.
She also reprised her role in the film adaptation of The Color Purple in 2023, directed by Blitz Bazawule, and received an Oscar nomination for her performance.
She has also appeared in other films and television shows, such as The Angry Birds Movie, Master of None, The Day Shall Come, Clemency, and Close Enough.
She has also produced and starred in her short film, The Brooks Chronicles, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.
She has also lent her voice to animated characters, such as Officer Pearle Watson in The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Princess Tiana in the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana.
She has also launched her music career, releasing her debut single, Black Woman, in 2018 and her debut EP, Gold Mine, in 2020. She has collaborated with artists such as Chance the Rapper, Janelle Monáe, and Lizzo.
Awards
Some of the awards that Danielle Brooks has won throughout her career are:
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015, 2016, 2017) for Orange Is the New Black.
- Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album (2017) for The Color Purple.
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2017) for Orange Is the New Black.
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (2016) for The Color Purple.
- Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut (2016) for The Color Purple.
Net Worth
Danielle Brooks’s estimated net worth is $4 million.
She has earned wealth from her successful career as an actress, producer, singer, voice actor, and podcaster.
Social Media
- Instagram: @daniebb3
- Twitter: @thedanieb
Filmography
- Girls
- Orange Is the New Black
- The Angry Birds Movie
- Master of None
- The Color Purple
- The Day Shall Come
- Clemency
- Close Enough
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines
- Tiana
Discography
- Black Woman (2018) – single
- Gold Mine (2020) – EP
- The Color Purple (New Broadway Cast Recording) (2015) – Album
- The Hamilton Mixtape (2016) – Album
- All Day Long (I Dream About Sex) (2019) – single (with Chance the Rapper)
- I Like That (2020) – single (with Janelle Monáe and Lizzo)
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