Golden Brooks

Early life

Brooks was born December 1, 1970, in San Francisco, California. 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.

Career

In her early career, Brooks was active in the Rodney Theater Company. 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. 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.

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, but later was replaced by Kate Levering. In 2011, she starred in the independent film The Inheritance. 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.

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. In 2016, she was cast in a series regular role opposite Damon Wayans Sr. in the Fox pilot Lethal Weapon. Brooks was fired from Lethal Weapon after the project's table read, and Keesha Sharp, her Girlfriends co-star, later replaced her in role.

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. She also was cast in the Paramount Network drama series Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner. 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. She received critical acclaim for her performance in I Am the Night. "Golden Brooks elevating every scene she's in", said Daniel Fienberg in his review for The Hollywood Reporter. 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. 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. In 2024 she had a recurring role in the Starz crime drama series, Power Book II: Ghost.

Personal life

Brooks and fellow actor D. B. Woodside were in a relationship from 2008 to 2010; they have a daughter together, born in 2009.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (1970-12-01). "Golden Brooks Biography". Buddytv.com.
2. "Golden Brooks Credits". Tvguide.com.
3. (2011-04-20). "Golden Brooks | Movies and Biography - Yahoo Movies". Movies.yahoo.com.
4. "Breaking News - Development Update: Thursday, August 7". TheFutonCritic.com.
5. (April 11, 2011). "Golden Brooks Gets Scary!? The Inheritance, Career Moves and More! Exclusive Interview!". UrbLife.com.
6. Tambay A. Obenson. (16 May 2014). "TV One Expands 'Diva' Franchise w/ Launch of 'Hollywood D - Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act.
7. (8 October 2014). "Golden Brooks Talks 'Hollywood Divas' Drama - The Michigan Chronicle". The Michigan Chronicle.
8. Denise Petski. (24 February 2015). "Ed Begley Jr., Sharon Lawrence & More Join Seth MacFarlane's 'Blunt Talk' - Deadline". Deadline.
9. Elizabeth Wagmeister. (5 March 2015). "'Blunt Talk': Elisabeth Shue & Jason Schwartzman to Guest Star on Starz Comedy - Variety". Variety.
10. Nellie Andreeva. (19 February 2016). "'Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Golden Brooks Cast As Trish - Deadline". Deadline.
11. Nellie Andreeva. (17 March 2016). "Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Keesha Sharp Replaces Golden Brooks In Recasting - Deadline". Deadline.
12. McNary, Dave. (4 April 2017). "Golden Brooks Joins Amandla Stenberg's Dystopian Thriller 'Darkest Minds' (EXCLUSIVE)".
13. N'Duka, Amanda. (4 April 2017). "'Mission: Impossible 6' Adds Frederick Schmidt; Golden Brooks Cast In 'The Darkest Minds'".
14. Otterson, Joe. (10 August 2017). "Paramount Network's 'Yellowstone' Casts 'Girlfriends' Alum Golden Brooks (EXCLUSIVE)".
15. Petski, Denise. (13 October 2017). "'One Day She'll Darken': India Eisley, Jefferson Mays Set As Leads; Five More Cast In TNT Series".
16. Otterson, Joe. (13 October 2017). "TNT's 'One Day She'll Darken' Casts Seven to Star Alongside Chris Pine, Including 'Training Day' Alum".
17. GOLDEN, KARRIS. "Drama points out complicated history of church adoptions".
18. (15 January 2019). "'I Am the Night': TV Review".
19. (September 16, 2019). "ABC Reunites Cast Members From TV And Film With "Cast From The Past" Week".
20. (September 12, 2019). "Tracee Ellis Ross to Reunite With 'Girlfriends' Cast on 'Black-ish'".
21. "Trailer to Hot Girl Winter starring Golden Brooks".
22. "Hot Girl Winter | Official Trailer | A Tubi Original".
23. Roots, Kimberly. (May 9, 2024). "Power Book II: Ghost Final Season Trailer: Tariq Becomes an ‘Apex Predator’ (Think His Dad Would Be Proud?) — Watch".
24. "It'S A Baby Girl For Actors Golden Brooks And D.B. Woodside » Black Celebrity Kids".
25. Michaud, Sarah. (2014-03-31). "Golden Brooks, D.B. Woodside Welcome a Daughter - Babies, D.B. Woodside, Golden Brooks".