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.
2014 • TV
1996 • TV
2009 • TV
2014 • TV
2025 • Movie
2025 • Movie
as Dawn
as Kitty Kat (voice)
as Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
as Morgan
as Mahalia Jackson
as Receptionist
as Young Catherine (voice)
as Evette Wilkinson
as Sofia
as Wendy
as Abbey
as Venus Al Shabaz
as Carla
as Jordana Bachman
as Self
as Raimy
as Self
as Lozita
as Claire Soto
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Self - Guest
3 episodes
as Self
2 episodes
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson
89 episodes
as Self - Presenter
1 episodes
as Leota Adebayo
16 episodes
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Self - Guest Judge
1 episodes
as Self
2 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Self - Guest
2 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Ruthless Ruth (voice)
1 episodes
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
