Golden Brooks

* Actress
* Character

**Golden Ameda Brooks** is an American actress who portrayed singer Jimmy Lee in “I Am the Night,“ the second instalment of TNT's Suspense Collection.

## TNT Official Biography

Cited by *Time Magazine* as one of “the most watchable women in the world,” Golden Brooks has firmly established herself as an impressive and respected actress. Her portrayal of the much-loved, strong-minded single mother Maya Wilkes on the CW’s run of *Girlfriends* has garnered her much acclaim. As a top series that aired for nearly a decade, *Girlfriends* was the most watched African American show in all demographics and multi-cultural households.

The show earned Brooks two NAACP nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She also won a BET AWARD for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series and received the Multi-Cultural Prism Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

The plethora of recognition didn’t stop there. Upon finishing her run on the small screen, Brooks went on to broaden her creative palate to the independent film world. She shot two films with Sundance producer Effie Brown (*Real Women Have Curves*, HBO’s *Stranger Inside*). Brooks landed the lead in *The Inheritance*, a modern-day *Rosemary’s Baby* psychological thriller, and grabbed another prestigious award for her work; she was nominated for Outstanding Actress and won an ABFF AWARD. The second film *Polish Bar*, starring Meatloaf, Richard Belzar, Judd Hirsch and James Badge Dale, hit the Chicago Film Festival. Brooks’ work in TV continues to impress, working alongside the likes of Sir Patrick Stewart on the STARZ single camera dark comedy *Blunt Talk*, created by Jonathan Ames and produced by Seth McFarland. Brooks plays Stewart’s fiery, yet very pulled together ex-wife who mothers their only child. Brooks also wowed fans again on the highly viewed CW show, *Hart Of Dixie*, playing beauty entrepreneur/mogul Ruby Jefferies.

Brooks can most recently be seen in FOX’s YA dystopian drama *The Darkest Minds*, directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. She will appear in all three episodes of the highly anticipated trilogy. Brooks plays Molly Daly, the distraught mother to her daughter Ruby, played by Amandla Stenberg. She also appear as Jimmy Lee in TNT’s new drama *I Am the Night*, inspired by the incredible true story of Fauna Hodel, a teenage girl given away at birth.

Brooks’ other film credits include Focus Feature’s dramedy *Something New* starring Sanna Lathan and Simon Baker. She can also be seen in the MGM all-star ensemble comedy hit *Beauty Shop*. Brooks shines opposite Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone and Kevin Bacon. Her work on the small screen includes recent guest star work on TV Land’s *The Exes*, starring Donald Faison and Kristin Johnston. Brooks is also active onstage alongside Danny Glover for the Roby Theater Company, a non-profit dedicated to developing plays about the Black experience, as well as interpreting established works.

The San Francisco native holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in theater from the University of California, Berkeley. The classically trained actress, who has performed in a broad variety of roles from Chekhov to Shakespeare, is also a talented writer, boasting a master’s degree in creative writing from the very prestigious Sarah Lawrence College. Brooks is also a classical trained dancer, both studying and teaching ballet, jazz and modern dance. In her spare time, she dedicates time to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and AIDS Project Los Angeles.

## Credits

I Am the Night

* Ep. 1: *Pilot*
* Ep. 3: *Dark Flower*
* Ep. 4: *Matador*
* Ep. 5: *Aloha*
* Ep. 6: *Queen’s Gambit, Accepted*

## References

1. ↑ Cast Bios — I Am the Night, Turner Pressroom.