Actor, singer, director and producer Danielle Brooks has seen a meteoric rise over the past decade. From her breakout performance as soulful prison inmate Taystee in Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black to her Tony-nominated turn as Sophia in The Color Purple: The Musical on Broadway, Brooks’ made a splash in the entertainment world.
Though Brooks has rightfully become quite the celebrity—she gave us a whole Black Girl Magic lyrical anthem with her song “Black Woman” — she recently told Yes, Girl! podcast that she doesn’t play into it because she’s just like everyone else. There are days when she gets down just like anyone else.
“With this celebrity thing, which I hate using that word, but being in the public eye, people just assume everything is good,” Brooks shared to cohosts Cori Murray and Charli Penn.
“Like I’m not human and not supposed to be emotional and cry and feel things. I go through it too. People need to know that side as well.”
Brooks—who recently gave birth to her first child (a beautiful baby girl named Fria Carel)—opened up about working through bouts of postpartum depression and her concern around how media often spins celebrities’ honesty.
“I find it beneficial to say, ‘Hey, this is what’s happening in my life, maybe you can relate to it, and share some tips with me or whatever,'” she said. “And to also let me remind myself I ain’t that crazy when it comes to certain issues.”
To hear Brooks’ full episode click the link below.
