What Does it Take to Be One of The Greats? with Danielle Brooks

At 22, Danielle Brooks was being chased through subway stations by Orange Is the New Black fans while still struggling to afford the life her new fame seemed to require. The series helped turn Netflix into a cultural force and made her recognizable around the world, but behind the success, Danielle was afraid to negotiate, afraid of being replaced, and increasingly willing to let other people decide what came next. Now an Oscar-nominated actor, Grammy winner, wife, mother, and host of the podcast The Intermission, Danielle gets strikingly honest about the money, rejection, faith, ambition, and self-doubt that shaped her rise + the power she’s finally ready to claim. In this episode, Danielle shares:

The reality of becoming globally famous before becoming financially stable

Why she was still riding the subway while Orange Is the New Black fans chased her through stations

How the women of Orange Is the New Black were paid compared with the young stars of Stranger Things

Why feeling replaceable kept her from negotiating for the salary she deserved

The moment she realized she had allowed someone else’s fear to direct her career

Why she put her dream of hosting on hold, even after buying her first camera with $356

How Orange Is the New Black helped build Netflix + why Danielle almost turned down the role of Taystee

What she negotiated behind the scenes when the show asked her to appear topless

The Hollywood rooms that made her wonder, “Am I supposed to be here?”

Why losing The Piano Lesson film role made her question God and consider quitting acting

The truth about having to audition for The Color Purple again after earning a Tony nomination for the same role