Personal info
Known for
Actor
Gender
Female
Birthday
17 September
Location
Georgia, United States
Edit pageDanielle Brooks
Biography
Danielle Brooks was born on 17 September 1989 in Augusta, Georgia, USA. She is an American actress, singer, and producer who graduated from the Juilliard School in 2011. She began acting at a young age and developed her skills through theatre before making her breakthrough on television.
Brooks became widely known for portraying Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Her performance as the lively and compassionate inmate became one of the show's most memorable characters.
She achieved major success on Broadway with her debut as Sofia in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple. The role earned her a Tony Award nomination, a Drama Desk Award, a Theatre World Award, and a Grammy Award as part of the musical's cast recording.
Brooks reprised her role as Sofia in the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple, earning nominations for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award. She has also appeared in Master of None, Clemency, Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, and the superhero series Peacemaker, where she plays Leota Adebayo.
Her other notable work includes The Day Shall Come (2019), The Piano Lesson (2022), and A Minecraft Movie (2025). Through her work in television, film, Broadway, and music, Brooks has established herself as a versatile performer and one of the prominent actresses of her generation.
