Why Danielle Brooks Almost Turned Down Role of Taystee on 'Orange Is the New Black'
Signing on to play Taystee was a tough decision for Brooks.
— -- It may seem like a no-brainer looking back, but signing on to play Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on Netflix’s hit series “Orange Is the New Black” was a tough decision for actress Danielle Brooks.
“I wasn’t sure if this was really a part I should take,” Brooks revealed in an interview with ABC’s Rebecca Jarvis on the “No Limits With Rebecca Jarvis” podcast.
“I’m incarcerated. Black women incarcerated. She’s topless. I don’t know. I don’t know if this is a good mix,” she added.
The daughter of a minister and a deacon, Brooks said she also wrestled with taking the role because of how her family might react and said her mom cautioned against it at the time.
“I was nervous,” she said. “People forget, nobody knew what Netflix was or where they were going. And so I’m about to step into this part that’s maybe two episodes, I’m like, ‘I just don’t know if this is a good career move.’”
Four seasons and multiple awards and nominations later, it’s turned out to be more than just a good career move.
In fact, said Brooks, if she hadn’t taken the role, “I would be so upset looking at some other girl living this dream that I know I could have.”
So why did she ultimately decide to take the plunge and join “Orange Is the New Black”? Hear her full story on the latest episode of “No Limits With Rebecca Jarvis.”
You can listen to "No Limits With Rebecca Jarvis" on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, http://www.abcnewspodcasts.com or on the ABC News app under the "Listen" section.