Danielle Brooks is an award-winning actress and producer who rose to fame for her role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.
She is also known for her critically acclaimed performance as Sophia in the Broadway revival of the musical The Color Purple, as well as her role in the film adaptation of the same musical.
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- Full name: Danielle Moner Truitt
- Nickname: Danielle Brooks
- Date of Birth: September 17, 1989
- Age: 35
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Actress, producer, singer, voice actor, podcaster
- Height: 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
- Parents: Dunnel and LaRita Brooks
- Siblings: Darrell Brooks (brother)
- Spouse: Dennis Green (married in 2022)
- Children: Freeya Carel Gelin (daughter)
- Marital status: Married
- Net worth: $4 million
Early life and education
Danielle Brooks, 35, was born on September 17, 1989 in Augusta, Georgia, USA. She is the daughter of Dunnell and Larita Brooks, both Christians, working 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 began singing in the church choir at the age of six.
She attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities where she studied theater.
She then moved to New York to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and attended the Juilliard School, graduating in 2011.
She met her good friend and co-star Samira Wiley at Juilliard, and they auditioned together for Orange Is the New Black.
Personal life
Danielle Brooks is happily married to fitness trainer Dennis Gelin, whom she met in 2017. They tied the knot on January 13, 2022, in a private ceremony attended by family and friends.
They have a daughter named Freeya Carel Gelin, who was born on November 16, 2019. Brooks announced the pregnancy news on Instagram and shared her joy and excitement with her fans.
She also documents her journey as a new mom on her podcast, Mommy I Made It, where she interviews other celebrity moms to discuss topics like parenting, self-care, and career.
She is a body-positive advocate and an active supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. She is also involved in various charities such as the American Diabetes Association, the Women’s Prison Association, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Profession
Danielle Brooks has had an illustrious career as an actress and producer, working in television, film, theatre and music.
She made her television debut in 2012 in an episode of the HBO series Girls. She then rose to fame playing Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, which premiered in 2013.
She played a resourceful and charming inmate who battles poverty, addiction, and injustice. Her performance was critically acclaimed and received numerous awards and nominations, including a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an NAACP Image Award.
She also became a fan favorite and cultural icon, appearing on the covers of magazines such as Essence, Ebony, and Glamour.
In 2015, she made her Broadway debut as Sophia in the musical The Color Purple, based on the novel by Alice Walker.
She co-stars with Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo, delivering powerful and moving performances.
She received a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy Award for her performance in the musical, winning praise from critics and audiences alike.
In 2023, she also reprised her role in the film The Color Purple directed by Blitz Bazawule and received an Oscar nomination for the role.
She has also appeared in other films and television shows, such as The Angry Birds Movie, Master of None, That Day Will Come, Forgiveness and close enough.
She also produced and starred in the short film, The Brooks Chronicles, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.
She has also voiced animated characters such as Officer Pearle Watson in The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Princess Tiana in the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana.
She also launched her own 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 Danielle Brooks has received during her career include:
- Won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Series for Orange is the New Black (2015, 2016, 2017).
- The Color Purple won the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
- Won the NAACP Image Award (2017) for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Orange is the New Black.
- Won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical for The Color Purple (2016).
- The Color Purple won the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut (2016).
net worth
Danielle Brooks’ net worth is estimated to be $4 million.
Her successful career as an actress, producer, singer, voice actor, and podcaster has brought her wealth.
Social Media
- Instagram: @daniebb3
- Twitter: @thedanieb
Filmography
- Girls
- Orange Is the New Black
- The Angry Birds Movie
- omnipotent
- Purple
- That day will come
- pardon
- 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
- 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)
