Golden Brooks
| Golden Brooks | |
|---|---|
 Left to right: Brooks with Mara Brock Akil, Persia White, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jill Marie Jones in 2013 | |
| Born |
Golden Ameda Brooks December 1, 1970 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Partner(s) | D.B. Woodside (2006–10; 1 child) |
Golden Ameda Brooks (born December 1, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career with starring role in the Showtime comedy series, Linc's (1998–2000), and later has appeared in 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), and Something New (2006).
Early life
Brooks was born in San Francisco, California.[1] As a child, she competed as a figure skater and won several trophies. Brooks is also a classically trained dancer. She studied and taught ballet, jazz, and modern dance. Brooks studied literature and sociology and is a graduate of UC Berkeley where she majored in Media Representation of Minorities with a minor in Theater. Brooks earned a Masters degree from Sarah Lawrence College.[1]
Career
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, Linc's, 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,"[4] and wrote the 2007 episode titled "Snap Back,"[5] 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, however, in reality, Brooks is actually the eldest of the four actors. For her performance in Girlfriends, Brooks received BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004, and 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 2004 film Motives, co-starring with Vivica A. Fox and Shemar Moore. She also has 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,[6][7] but later was replaced by Kate Levering. In 2011, she starred in the independent film The Inheritance.[8] 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. She is good friends with the title character Zoe Hart and a rival of southern belle Lemon Breeland.[9] In 2014, Brooks stars as one of five leads on the TV One reality series, Hollywood Divas.[10][11]
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.[12][13] In 2016, she was cast in a series regular role opposite Damon Wayans Sr. in the Fox pilot Lethal Weapon.[14]Brooks left Lethal Weapon after the project’s table read, and Keesha Sharp, her Girlfriends co-star, later replaced her in role.[15]
Personal life
Brooks has a daughter with her former boyfriend D.B. Woodside, Dakota Tao Brooks-Woodside, born on September 1, 2009.[16][17]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Drive by: A Love Story | Young Tuli | Short film |
| 1998 | Hell's Kitchen | Gold | |
| 1998 | Zero Stress | The Dancer | |
| 2000 | Timecode | Onyx Richardson | |
| 2001 | Asylum | Angela | Short film |
| 2001 | Impostor | Cale's Sister | |
| 2004 | Motives | Allannah James | Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Actress in the Independent Film |
| 2005 | Beauty Shop | Chanel | |
| 2006 | Something New | Suzette | |
| 2008 | A Good Man Is Hard to Find | Rachel | |
| 2010 | Polish Bar | Ebony | |
| 2011 | The Mudman | Mother | |
| 2011 | The Inheritance | Karen | American Black Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2011 | The Perfect Gift | Sandra Harris | |
| 2012 | A Beautiful Soul | Anita Stevens | |
| 2012 | In Sickness and in Health | Hope | Television film |
| 2012 | The Great Divide | Kim | |
| 2015 | The White Sistas | Stone White | Also producer |
| 2015 | My B.F.F. | Sharice Brown | |
| 2016 | Supermodel | Patricia Gillard | |
| 2016 | Definitely Divorcing | Tonisha | |
| 2017 | He Watches Over Me | Jasmine | |
| 2017 | Almost Amazing | Wendy |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Adventures of Pete & Pete | Heather | Episode: "Crisis in the Love Zone" |
| 1999 | Promised Land | Erica Sims | Episode: "Leaving the Life" |
| 1998–2000 | Linc's | CeCe Jennings | Series regular, 35 episodes |
| 2000 | The Parkers | Chris | Episode: "Since I Lost My Baby" |
| 2000 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Nancy | Episode: "Double or Nothing" |
| 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" and "Storm Front: Part 2" |
| 2005 | Eve | LaDonna | Episode: "Testing Testing HIV" |
| 2000–2008 | Girlfriends | Maya Denise Wilkes | Series regular, 172 episodes BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2004) Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2003, 2008) |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami | Pam Dashell | Episode: "And How Does That Make You Kill?" |
| 2011 | The Exes | Bree Miller | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2012–2013 | Hart of Dixie | Ruby Jeffries | Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| 2014-present | Hollywood Divas | Herself | TV One reality series |
| 2015-present | Blunt Talk | Vivian | Recurring role |
References
- 1 2 3 "Golden Brooks Biography". Buddytv.com. 1970-12-01. 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.
- ↑ "Hustle & Dough". IMDb.
- ↑ "Snap Back". IMDb.
- ↑ "Lifetime pilot adds two". IMDb.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (2012-07-21). "'Hart of Dixie' Enlists 'Girlfriends' Alum as Pal for Zoe (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ↑ Tambay A. Obenson (16 May 2014). "TV One Expands 'Diva' Franchise w/ Launch of 'Hollywood D - Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act.
- ↑ "Golden Brooks Talks 'Hollywood Divas' Drama - The Michigan Chronicle". The Michigan Chronicle. 8 October 2014.
- ↑ Denise Petski. "Ed Begley Jr., Sharon Lawrence & More Join Seth MacFarlane's 'Blunt Talk' - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ Elizabeth Wagmeister. "'Blunt Talk': Elisabeth Shue & Jason Schwartzman to Guest Star on Starz Comedy - Variety". Variety. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ Nellie Andreeva. "'Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Golden Brooks Cast As Trish - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ Nellie Andreeva. "Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Keesha Sharp Replaces Golden Brooks In Recasting - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ↑ :pm. "It'S A Baby Girl For Actors Golden Brooks And D.B. Woodside » Black Celebrity Kids". Blackcelebkids.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
- ↑ Michaud, Sarah (2014-03-31). "Golden Brooks, D.B. Woodside Welcome a Daughter - Babies, D.B. Woodside, Golden Brooks". People.com. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
