Imagine, if you will, a world in which the Taystee Jefferson as we know and love her didn't roam the small corridors of Litchfield Penitentiary. Now, hug yourself and rest easy knowing that you're never going to have to live in a world that bleak.
Danielle Brooks, who plays Taystee on the hit Netflix show Orange Is the New Black, told People on Thursday that she almost didn't accept her now-beloved role. And no, it wasn't because she wasn't down with wearing a neon jumpsuit.
"To be honest, I didn't know Orange was going to be one of those dream jobs," Brooks told the entertainment outlet. "I almost turned it down in the beginning because there was possibility for nudity, but I'm really glad I didn't do that."
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That makes MILLIONS of us, girl.
"Getting to work with so many incredible women and getting to play this character that has just grown tremendously throughout the season — I just pray for 100 times more chances like this in my career," she continued.
Just as she's grown to love the show and her fellow cast members, Brooks has become her character's biggest fan.
"I think she's super courageous, she's been through so much in her life, but she's still held on to her resilience and her perseverance," she told People about Taystee. "She's a fighter and no matter how many times she gets knocked down she always finds ways to get back up."
It seems that Brooks shares a lot of Taystee's best qualities, too. The actress, who's an outspoken proponent of body positivity, has come a long way since she was a teenager. In 2016, she penned a letter to her 15-year-old self, encouraging the young woman to be kind to her body, love herself as she loves others, and to fight for her beliefs and dreams. We're thrilled that Brooks found her confidence and that she chose to bring her beauty and strength to OITNB.