Danielle Brooks is one of our faves! She has been making waves since she emerged on the “big stage” in 2013. Having graduated in 2011 from Julliard, the prestigious performing arts conservatory focusing on dance, drama, and music, it is no surprise she is doing as well as she is today. Julliard is one of the world’s best performing arts institutions, so to even get in, is an accomplishment within itself.

A couple of years after graduating, she got the role for which she is best known for, as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson, on the Netflix hit original series “Orange Is The New Black” also referred to as “OITNB”.

Due to her success with this series, being one of its break-out stars (as her character was originally supposed to be a minor one, only appearing in a couple of episodes, but soon emerged as a series regular due to her outstanding portrayal) she was afforded the opportunity to play “Sofia”, in the iconic Broadway production of “The Color Purple”, for which she earned a Tony-Award nomination in 2016. All of her success and progress has led to a great personal accomplishment for her, which is working on her first major film, that she is currently doing now.

And while her acting abilities are marvelous and her singing chops are out of this world, I think the reason she is so liked by many fans is her incredible relatability, her undying self-love, and her non-conformity to Hollywood’s standards. She has learned to embrace every aspect of her being, including her flaws, and has made it known she is not ashamed of her dark skin complexion and her round, thick body shape.

In a world where many shrink and shy away from the pressure, she is unapologetic when it comes to her “darkness” and “fatness”, as she is not defined by these in a negative way. She sees them as beautiful. In regards to her thickness she loves it and says in People Magazine, “Sometimes I’ll look at myself and be like, ‘Dang girl, you got a lot of stretch marks.’ But then I’m like, ‘That’s just the road map of my strength”. She also states that “they remind me of things that I’ve gone through. I need to just embrace them and celebrate them. For the most part, I find ways to embrace my body.”

In reference to her looks, she defines her own beauty and doesn’t allow others and their negative criticism to do that for her.  Beyond loving her blackness, she doesn’t feel like she has to be glammed, styled, or done up to be beautiful. This was definitely put to the test in this makeup-less shoot she participated in for People Magazine’s “Most Beautiful People” issue.

Although slightly nervous initially, she quickly got her bearings and took on the challenge head on! While most of us would have been freaking out about having the entire world see us without any makeup on, she has handled it like a pro and like a true beauty would; feeling that with or without makeup, she’s still beautiful. She states that makeup can definitely enhance her features, and she loves wearing makeup and being glammed up, but that she also loves makeup-less days and the feeling of walking out the house with a bare face, because “there’s a freedom in letting something else speak for you besides makeup”, she says, such as your accessories or hair, etc. Her stance on that is definitely inspiring, as we should all set out to find a freedom in being our natural selves sometimes, and seeing the beauty in that.

While we recognize her beauty, both inside and out, it is amazing that People Magazine have taken notice too, and has named Danielle one of the “World’s Most Beautiful People”. Not that one needs approval, but it must feel great to finally be seen and embraced by people outside of yourself and your community. That is such an honor, as she really demonstrates what the true meaning of being beautiful means, and as she transmits so much of it out into the universe, even to those who have teased her because of her distinctive nature and displayed beauty.

Thanks Danielle for showing us how we can love ourselves, embrace everything that others hate about us, and capitalize on our own unique and individual beauty. Self-Love is truly a journey, and we have enjoyed watching you reach that place, as well as motivate us to do the same!

“I know for a fact that I am beautiful, and what I do know for a fact is that we are spirits, at the end of the day, regardless of how much melanin we have, or how many pimples we have, or how curly or straight our hair is. It’s really about what we have inside of us, that makes us eho we are”

Danielle Brooks

(People’s Magazine)

“People Magazine’s World’s Most Beautiful People”