Danielle Brooks

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.

Danielle Brooks is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 14 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes A Minecraft Movie Squared (2027), If I Go Will They Miss Me (2026), Oh. What.

Fun. (2025), The Bad Guys 2 (2025), A Minecraft Movie (2025), The Color Purple (2023), Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising (2022), Peacemaker (2022). The recorded credits span 2008 to 2027, including 11 movies and 3 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.