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Danielle Brooks

Danielle Brooks

Actor, also producer · Born September 17, 1989 (37) · Augusta, Georgia, USA

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · 4 other major award bodies

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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 17, 1989 (37)
From
Augusta, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 31 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

What are Danielle Brooks' films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Self
24%
Society
22%
Morality
12%
Survival
11%
Ideas
3%
Power
2%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 7 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 0

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 10 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 10
Hero
1 of 10
Mentor
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
9
Melancholic
9
Tense
5
Warm
4
Bittersweet
4
Other
15

How their films linger

Hopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous2
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Danielle Brooks' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Danielle Brooks' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

31 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 24 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • A Minecraft Movie Squared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    as Dawn

  • Bad Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • If I Go Will They Miss Me(2026)

    Executive Producer · as Lozita

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Oh. What. Fun.(2025)

    as Morgan

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Bad Guys 2(2025)

    as Kitty Kat (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Family Recipe Showdown(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Guest Judge

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Minecraft Movie(2025)

    as Dawn

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Color Purple(2023)

    as Sofia

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Peacemaker(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · as Leota Adebayo

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Karma's World(2021)

    Show 40 episodes · as Dr. Lillie Carter-Grant (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia(2021)

    Co-Executive Producer · as Mahalia Jackson

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • All the Little Things We Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Claire Soto

  • Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine(2020)

    as Jordana Bachman

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Social Distance(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Imani

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Eat Wheaties!(2020)

    as Wendy

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Get Organized with the Home Edit(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Close Enough (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 46 episodes · as Pearle Watson (voice)

  • Clemency(2019)

    as Evette Wilkinson

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Public's Much Ado About Nothing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Beatrice

  • The Day Shall Come(2019)

    as Venus Al Shabaz

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Sadie(2018)

    as Carla

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Ruthless Ruth (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • I Dream Too Much (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Abbey

  • The Angry Birds Movie(2016)

    as Olive Blue / Monica the Crossing Guard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Master of None(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Shannon

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Time Out of Mind(2014)

    as Receptionist

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Same Difference (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 89 episodes · as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Modern Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Raimy

  • Finding Your Roots(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Fireproof(2008)

    as Young Catherine (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 31 titles, 29 of them dated from 2008 to 2026; peak year 2025.

Biggest box office

A Minecraft Movie (2025)

$960M worldwide

Highest rated

Peacemaker (2022)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Orange Is the New Black (2013)

Film career

MilestoneAward win
20082026

Peak 2025 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting31 of 31: 29 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thProducing2 of 31: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

2000s1 · acting2010s13 · acting2020s15 · 15 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 1 other major award from 14 major nominations, 2015–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
  2. 2024
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress
  3. 2022
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  4. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Television Movie
  5. 2018
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  6. 2017
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Musical Theater Album
  7. 2016
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  8. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Danielle Brooks' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Karma's World (2021)

99th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Peacemaker (2022)

Midcredits 93rd · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 81/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 87, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Danielle Brooks' work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles47–82 · median 53 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles27–85 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles41–93 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles32–73 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles47–76 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Danielle Brooks work with?

People who share at least 2 of Danielle Brooks' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Colman Domingo shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers

Mixed roles