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Danielle Brooks | Close Up | Who What Wear
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May 1, 2025
Watch "The Color Purple" star Danielle Brooks, as she talks about her favorite getting-ready rituals (jam sessions with her glam team), red carpet bag essentials, and finding the perfect glam couture tulle gown for the evening awards!
View Video Transcript
0:00
If you would have seen me on my first carpet though
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my red carpet for Orange is the New Black, I was freaking out
0:18
Well, hello, who, what, where? I'm Danielle Brooks, and I would love it
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if you came with me as I got ready for the Critics' Choice Awards. My favorite part about getting ready for the red carpet
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is probably the jam session that we have. Just like getting in the vibe of the day
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What does it feel to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress? It feels great
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It feels great. I think it's even better than what I imagined
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You know, the little kid that's like watching it on TV and dreaming really big
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and then you go through the process of doing the work. I'm really, really excited
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Sofia on the stage and Sofia in the film are completely, they're not completely different
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but I'm a different person. So I've learned and have changed and morphed
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in different ways that have added to the character. Like Sofia's a mom, I'm a mom
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Sofia married I married The biggest change is like I actually in Georgia now Like I actually in a juke joint and you know at a dinner table And when I did it on Broadway we were just acting on a bare stage with chairs
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So at that time I was just using my imagination. But now, like, I have all of the aspects that I need to bring her to life
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You told Hoppo to beat me. Oh my God, getting to say that on film, you know, where it's in the canon forever was wild because we just know how impactful that was when Miss Oprah said it
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Just getting to like have the legacy, be a part of the legacy and have that passed on to me means a lot
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But now it's cool because, like, you have the iconic lines that she brought, but now you have some new ones that I'm bringing
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So that's pretty cool. Getting to be in Sophia's shoes with Oprah standing there is something I never in my wildest dreams thought would happen
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I think it's like you dream big, but sometimes, like, what God has for you is way bigger than what you could ever imagine
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and it's been so sweet to go on this journey with her and have her hold my hand throughout the process
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My daughter is starting to comprehend what is going on with Mommy and what she does for a living
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She is watching at home and wearing her dresses and getting all dolled up It super cute You bought me more peanuts
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The inspiration behind today's look for Danielle for her critic's choice. We wanted to do something different and play with silhouettes
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because every time when my clients are on the carpet, I love to do a different story, different silhouettes every time you see them
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So today we're doing a glam couture version of a, say, of a sweet baby doll dress
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The first thing about this look that caught my eye was just how beautiful and grand it was
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We wanted to really just play with different silhouettes. And so this Mansouri dress, as soon as she saw it, she instantly fell in love and knew that we had to wear it for the carpet
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This awards season, our style story, we really wanted to really push the envelope when it comes to fashion
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and especially plus size fashion, to really show those silhouettes can be played along with any size, any range, and any occasion
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In my bag today for Critics' Choice, I will be taking a fan, my Polaroid
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And I will be taking a little snack, some nuts. I don't know if they got food
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And my flat shoes. Yeah I think what important more than anything is the people you surround yourself with that help keep your spirit where it should be on days like this
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So yeah, I'm kind of like chill. If you want to see me on my first carpet, my red carpet for Orange is New Black
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I was freaking out. You know, these pictures live forever. And it was the first time people were being introduced to me
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So I was really, really nervous. It turned out fine. I was thinking like just straight like down the center
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I can't wait to see this back. What's this back given? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
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They not gonna be ready. Oh, what? Uh, yes. Oh. Oh God, thank you for this day
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Thank you for all of the joy that will come of this day. Thank you for the people that you have gathered today
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I'm excited for what's to come. I accept what's to come
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