Danielle Brooks (born September 17, 1989) is an American actress. Her breakthrough role was as prison inmate Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019).
In 2015, Brooks made her Broadway debut in the musical revival of The Color Purple as Sofia, for which she received a nomination for a Tony Award and won a Grammy Award. In 2023, Brooks reprised her role as Sofia in the film adaptation of The Color Purple and was nominated for an Academy Award, British Academy Film Award, and Golden Globe Award for her performance. In 2021, she played gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in the made-for-television biographical film Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie as an executive producer.
In 2022, Brooks hosted Netflix's reality series Instant Dream Home and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Daytime Program Host. The same year, Brooks starred in the superhero series Peacemaker (2022–present) and returned to Broadway in the revival of the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson, for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination. She has since starred in the fantasy adventure comedy A Minecraft Movie.
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Known For
Oh. What. Fun.
2025
The Bad Guys 2
Kitty Kat (voice)
2025
A Minecraft Movie
Dawn
2025
Oprah & The Color Purple Journey
Self
2023
The Color Purple
Sofia
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
Instant Dream Home
Self - Host · (8 episodes)
2022
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising
Self
2022
Peacemaker
Leota Adebayo · (16 episodes)
2022
DC Fandome 2021
2021
Karma’s World
Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (voice) · (15 episodes)
2021
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Mahalia Jackson
2021
All the Little Things We Kill
Claire Soto
2021
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
Jordana Bachman
2020
Social Distance
Imani · (1 episode)
2020
Eat Wheaties!
Wendy
2020
Get Organized with The Home Edit
(1 episode)
2020
Close Enough
Pearle Watson (voice) · (46 episodes)
2020
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Clemency
Evette Wilkinson
2019
The Public's Much Ado About Nothing
Beatrice
2019
The Day Shall Come
Venus Al Shabaz
2019
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019
Sadie
Carla
2018
Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image
Herself
2017
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
Ruthless Ruth · (1 episode)
2017
I Dream Too Much
Abbey
2016
The Angry Birds Movie
Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)
2016
Master of None
Shannon · (3 episodes)
2015
The Same Difference
2015
Lip Sync Battle
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Time Out of Mind
Receptionist
2014
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Honoree · (1 episode)
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2014
Orange Is the New Black
Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson · (89 episodes)
2013
Finding Your Roots
(1 episode)
2012
Honest Trailers
Dawn (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2012
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2009
Fireproof
Young Catherine (voice)
2008
The One Show
Self · (1 episode)
2006
Project Runway
Self · (1 episode)
2004
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2004
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (2 episodes)
2003
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1988
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953