American actress (b. 1970)
Golden Brooks
is an American actress. She began her career with starring role in the
Showtime
comedy series,
Linc's
(1998–2000), and later appeared in the films
Timecode
(2000) and
Impostor
(2001).
From 2000 to 2008, Brooks starred as Maya Wilkes in the
UPN
/
The CW
comedy series
Girlfriends
, for which she received two
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
nominations. She also has appeared in films
Motives
(2004),
Beauty Shop
(2005),
Something New
(2006) and
The Darkest Minds
(2018). In 2019, she received critical acclaim for her performance in the
TNT
limited drama series
I Am the Night
.
Early life
[
edit
]
Brooks was born December 1, 1970, in
San Francisco, California
.
[1]
A classically trained dancer, she studied and taught
ballet
,
jazz
, and
modern dance
. She studied
literature
and
sociology
and is a graduate of
UC Berkeley
where she majored in Media Representation of Minorities with a minor in
theater
. She earned a
Master's degree
from
Sarah Lawrence College
.
[1]
Career
[
edit
]
In her early career, Brooks was active in the Rodney Theater Company.
[1]
On television, she has appeared on
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
,
Promised Land
, and
The Jamie Foxx Show
as a girl named Nancy, whom Jamie confuses with Fancy. Brooks also appeared in a number of films, like
Hell's Kitchen
,
Timecode
, and
Impostor
.
[2]
From 1998 to 2000, she starred alongside Pam Grier in the
Showtime
comedy series,
Linc's
.
Brooks is best known for her portrayal of the character Maya Wilkes, Joan's former sharp-tongued secretary and now acclaimed author, on the
CW
sitcom
Girlfriends
, in which she starred alongside
Tracee Ellis Ross
,
Persia White
and
Jill Marie Jones
from 2000 to 2008.
[3]
In 2001, she appeared in an episode of
Moesha
, portraying Maya Wilkes. Brooks also directed the 2006 episode titled "Hustle & Dough," and wrote the 2007 episode titled "Snap Back," which featured guest star
Erykah Badu
. The character of Maya is portrayed to be several years younger than the other characters Joan, Toni, and Lynn, but, in reality, Brooks is actually the eldest of the four actors. For her performance in
Girlfriends
, Brooks received a
BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
in 2004, as well as two nominations for the
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
in 2003 and 2008.
[
citation needed
]
Brooks has won
Black Reel Awards
for her portrayal in the 2004 film
Motives
, co-starring with
Vivica A. Fox
and
Shemar Moore
. She also has co-starred in
Beauty Shop
(2005) and
Something New
(2006). In 2008, Brooks was cast as Kim Kaswell in the
Lifetime
comedy-drama pilot
Drop Dead Diva
,
[4]
but later was replaced by
Kate Levering
. In 2011, she starred in the independent film
The Inheritance
.
[5]
In 2012, Brooks joined the cast of
Hart of Dixie
in season 2 playing Ruby Jeffries, Mayor Lavon Hayes' ex-girlfriend from high school, who runs against him for mayor. In 2014, Brooks stars as one of five leads on the
TV One
reality series,
Hollywood Divas
.
[6]
[7]
In 2015, Brooks was cast in a recurring role of
Patrick Stewart
's lead character's ex-wife in the
Starz
comedy series,
Blunt Talk
.
[8]
[9]
In 2016, she was cast in a series regular role opposite
Damon Wayans Sr.
in the Fox pilot
Lethal Weapon
.
[10]
Brooks was fired from
Lethal Weapon
after the project's table read, and
Keesha Sharp
, her
Girlfriends
co-star, later replaced her in role.
[11]
In 2017, Brooks was cast as the lead character's mother in
The Darkest Minds
, a young adult dystopian thriller directed by
Jennifer Yuh Nelson
.
[12]
[13]
She also was cast in the
Paramount Network
drama series
Yellowstone
starring
Kevin Costner
.
[14]
Later she was cast in a series regular role on the
TNT
drama series
I Am the Night
directed by
Patty Jenkins
, playing the mother of the lead character.
[15]
[16]
She received critical acclaim for her performance in
I Am the Night
.
[17]
"Golden Brooks elevating every scene she's in", said Daniel Fienberg in his review for
The Hollywood Reporter
.
[18]
In 2019, she reunited with her
Girlfriends
co-stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones and Persia White in the episode of ABC comedy series
Black-ish
.
[19]
[20]
In 2023, Brooks starred in the coming-of-age comedy series,
Saturdays
as a mother of lead, and played the leading role in the
Tubi
Holiday comedy film,
Hot Girl Winter
.
[21]
[22]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Brooks and fellow actor
D. B. Woodside
were in a relationship from 2008 to 2010; they have a daughter together, born in 2009.
[23]
[24]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
1997
|
Drive by: A Love Story
|
Young Tuli
|
Short film
|
1998
|
Hell's Kitchen
|
Gold
|
|
Zero Stress
|
The Dancer
|
|
2000
|
Timecode
|
Onyx Richardson
|
|
2001
|
Asylum
|
Angela
|
Short film
|
Impostor
|
Cale's Sister
|
|
2004
|
Motives
|
Allannah James
|
Direct-to-video
|
2005
|
Beauty Shop
|
Chanel
|
|
2006
|
Something New
|
Suzette
|
|
2008
|
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
|
Rachel
|
Direct-to-video
|
2010
|
Polish Bar
|
Ebony
|
|
2011
|
The Mudman
|
Mother
|
|
The Perfect Gift
|
Sandra Harris
|
|
The Inheritance
|
Karen
|
|
2012
|
A Beautiful Soul
|
Anita Stevens
|
|
The Great Divide
|
Kim
|
|
2015
|
Supermodel
|
Patricia Gillard
|
|
2016
|
Definitely Divorcing
|
Tonisha
|
|
My B.F.F.
|
Sharice Brown
|
|
She's Got a Plan
|
Herself
|
|
2017
|
Almost Amazing
|
Wendy
|
|
The White Sistas
|
Stone White
|
|
2018
|
The Darkest Minds
|
Molly Daly
|
|
Everything That Glitters
|
Victoria Robinson
|
|
He Watches Over Me
|
Jasmine
|
|
2020
|
Kiss Me for Christmas
|
Millie Michaels
|
|
2021
|
Coins Forever
|
Veronica
|
|
2022
|
Block Party
|
Tasha McQueen
|
|
2023
|
Packz
|
Carla
|
|
2023
|
Hot Girl Winter
|
Jess
|
|
Television
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
1996
|
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
|
Heather
|
Episode: "Crisis in the Love Zone"
|
1998?2000
|
Linc's
|
CeCe Jennings
|
Main Cast
|
1999
|
Promised Land
|
Erica Sims
|
Episode: "Leaving the Life"
|
2000
|
The Parkers
|
Chris
|
Episode: "Since I Lost My Baby"
|
The Jamie Foxx Show
|
Nancy
|
Episode: "Double or Nothing"
|
2000?08
|
Girlfriends
|
Maya Denise Wilkes
|
Main Cast
|
2001
|
Moesha
|
Maya Wilkes
|
Episode: "That's My Mama"
|
2002
|
Haunted
|
Rachel Landry
|
Episode: "Abby"
|
2004
|
Star Trek: Enterprise
|
Alicia Travers
|
Episodes: "
Storm Front
: Part 1 & 2"
|
2005
|
Eve
|
LaDonna
|
Episode: "Testing Testing HIV"
|
2008
|
CSI: Miami
|
Pam Dashell
|
Episode: "And How Does That Make You Kill?"
|
2011
|
The Exes
|
Bree Miller
|
Episode: "Pilot"
|
2012
|
In Sickness and in Health
|
Hope
|
TV movie
|
2012?13
|
Hart of Dixie
|
Ruby Jeffries
|
Recurring cast:
Season 2
|
2014
|
Second Chance Christmas
|
-
|
TV movie
|
2014?16
|
Hollywood Divas
|
Herself
|
Main Cast
|
2015
|
In the Cut
|
Dawn
|
Episode: "The Beat Goes On"
|
Nicki
|
Monique
|
Episode: "Pilot"
|
2015?16
|
Blunt Talk
|
Vivian
|
Recurring cast
|
2018
|
5th Ward The Series
|
Erica Ward
|
Episode: "Flossin'"
|
Ladies of the Law
|
Monique
|
Main Cast
|
2019
|
I Am the Night
|
Jimmie Lee Greenwade
|
Main Cast
|
Black-ish
|
Malika
|
Episode: "Feminisn't"
|
2020
|
BET Her Presents: The Waiting Room
|
Cynthia Howard
|
Episode: "A Long Look in the Mirror"
|
2021
|
Station 19
|
Vivienne
|
Episodes: "Say Her Name" & "Forever and Ever, Amen"
|
2022
|
The Good Doctor
|
Dr. Isabel Barnes
|
Episode: "Boys Don't Cry"
|
2023
|
Saturdays
|
Deb Johnson
|
Main Cast
|
Awards and nominations
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
"Golden Brooks Biography"
. Buddytv.com. 1970-12-01. Archived from
the original
on 2016-08-26
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
- ^
"Golden Brooks Credits"
. Tvguide.com
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
- ^
"Golden Brooks | Movies and Biography - Yahoo Movies"
. Movies.yahoo.com. 2011-04-20
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
- ^
"Breaking News - Development Update: Thursday, August 7"
. TheFutonCritic.com
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
- ^
"Golden Brooks Gets Scary!? The Inheritance, Career Moves and More! Exclusive Interview!"
.
UrbLife.com
. April 11, 2011.
- ^
Tambay A. Obenson (16 May 2014).
"TV One Expands 'Diva' Franchise w/ Launch of 'Hollywood D - Shadow and Act"
.
Shadow and Act
. Archived from
the original
on 10 July 2015
. Retrieved
11 October
2014
.
- ^
"Golden Brooks Talks 'Hollywood Divas' Drama - The Michigan Chronicle"
.
The Michigan Chronicle
. 8 October 2014.
- ^
Denise Petski (24 February 2015).
"Ed Begley Jr., Sharon Lawrence & More Join Seth MacFarlane's 'Blunt Talk' - Deadline"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
19 February
2016
.
- ^
Elizabeth Wagmeister (5 March 2015).
"
'Blunt Talk': Elisabeth Shue & Jason Schwartzman to Guest Star on Starz Comedy - Variety"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
19 February
2016
.
- ^
Nellie Andreeva (19 February 2016).
"
'Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Golden Brooks Cast As Trish - Deadline"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
19 February
2016
.
- ^
Nellie Andreeva (17 March 2016).
"Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Keesha Sharp Replaces Golden Brooks In Recasting - Deadline"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
17 March
2016
.
- ^
McNary, Dave (4 April 2017).
"Golden Brooks Joins Amandla Stenberg's Dystopian Thriller 'Darkest Minds' (EXCLUSIVE)"
. Retrieved
5 April
2017
.
- ^
N'Duka, Amanda (4 April 2017).
"
'Mission: Impossible 6' Adds Frederick Schmidt; Golden Brooks Cast In 'The Darkest Minds'
"
. Retrieved
5 April
2017
.
- ^
Otterson, Joe (10 August 2017).
"Paramount Network's 'Yellowstone' Casts 'Girlfriends' Alum Golden Brooks (EXCLUSIVE)"
. Retrieved
17 October
2017
.
- ^
Petski, Denise (13 October 2017).
"
'One Day She'll Darken': India Eisley, Jefferson Mays Set As Leads; Five More Cast In TNT Series"
. Retrieved
17 October
2017
.
- ^
Otterson, Joe (13 October 2017).
"TNT's 'One Day She'll Darken' Casts Seven to Star Alongside Chris Pine, Including 'Training Day' Alum"
. Retrieved
17 October
2017
.
- ^
GOLDEN, KARRIS.
"Drama points out complicated history of church adoptions"
.
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
. Retrieved
20 January
2019
.
- ^
"
'I Am the Night': TV Review"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. 15 January 2019
. Retrieved
20 January
2019
.
- ^
Ramos, Dino-Ray (September 16, 2019).
"ABC Reunites Cast Members From TV And Film With "Cast From The Past" Week"
.
- ^
"Tracee Ellis Ross to Reunite With 'Girlfriends' Cast on 'Black-ish'
"
. September 12, 2019.
- ^
"Trailer to Hot Girl Winter starring Golden Brooks"
.
BlackFilmandTV.com
.
- ^
"Hot Girl Winter | Official Trailer | A Tubi Original"
– via www.youtube.com.
- ^
"It'S A Baby Girl For Actors Golden Brooks And D.B. Woodside ≫ Black Celebrity Kids"
.
Blackcelebkids.com
. Archived from
the original
on 2014-04-16
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
- ^
Michaud, Sarah (2014-03-31).
"Golden Brooks, D.B. Woodside Welcome a Daughter - Babies, D.B. Woodside, Golden Brooks"
.
People
. Archived from
the original
on 2016-09-14
. Retrieved
2014-04-16
.
External links
[
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]
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