Golden Brooks (born December 1, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career with starring role in the Showtime comedy series, Linc's (1998–2000), and later appeared in the films Timecode (2000) and Impostor (2001).

From 2000 to 2008, Brooks starred as Maya Wilkes in the UPN/The CW comedy series Girlfriends, for which she received two NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series nominations. She also has appeared in films Motives (2004), Beauty Shop (2005), Something New (2006) and The Darkest Minds (2018). In 2019, she received critical acclaim for her performance in the TNT limited drama series I Am the Night.

Early life Brooks was born December 1, 1970, in San Francisco, California. A classically trained dancer, she studied and taught ballet, jazz, and modern dance. She studied literature and sociology and is a graduate of UC Berkeley where she majored in Media Representation of Minorities with a minor in theater. She earned a Master's degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

Career In her early career, Brooks was active in the Rodney Theater Company. On television, she has appeared on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Promised Land, and The Jamie Foxx Show as a girl named Nancy, whom Jamie confuses with Fancy. Brooks also appeared in a number of films, like Hell's Kitchen, Timecode, and Impostor. From 1998 to 2000, she starred alongside Pam Grier in the Showtime comedy series, Linc's.

Brooks is best known for her portrayal of the character Maya Wilkes, Joan's former sharp-tongued secretary and now acclaimed author, on the CW sitcom Girlfriends, in which she starred alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones from 2000 to 2008. In 2001, she appeared in an episode of Moesha, portraying Maya Wilkes. Brooks also directed the 2006 episode titled "Hustle & Dough," and wrote the 2007 episode titled "Snap Back," which featured guest star Erykah Badu. The character of Maya is portrayed to be several years younger than the other characters Joan, Toni, and Lynn, but, in reality, Brooks is actually the eldest of the four actors. For her performance in Girlfriends, Brooks received a BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004, as well as two nominations for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003 and 2008.

Brooks has won Black Reel Awards for her portrayal in the 2004 film Motives, co-starring with Vivica A. Fox and Shemar Moore. She also has co-starred in Beauty Shop (2005) and Something New (2006). In 2008, Brooks was cast as Kim Kaswell in the Lifetime comedy-drama pilot Drop Dead Diva, but later was replaced by Kate Levering. In 2011, she starred in the independent film The Inheritance. In 2012, Brooks joined the cast of Hart of Dixie in season 2 playing Ruby Jeffries, Mayor Lavon Hayes' ex-girlfriend from high school, who runs against him for mayor. In 2014, Brooks stars as one of five leads on the TV One reality series, Hollywood Divas.

In 2015, Brooks was cast in a recurring role of Patrick Stewart's lead character's ex-wife in the Starz comedy series, Blunt Talk. In 2016, she was cast in a series regular role opposite Damon Wayans Sr. in the Fox pilot Lethal Weapon. Brooks was fired from Lethal Weapon after the project's table read, and Keesha Sharp, her Girlfriends co-star, later replaced her in role.

In 2017, Brooks was cast as the lead character's mother in The Darkest Minds, a young adult dystopian thriller directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. She also was cast in the Paramount Network drama series Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner. Later she was cast in a series regular role on the TNT drama series I Am the Night directed by Patty Jenkins, playing the mother of the lead character. She received critical acclaim for her performance in I Am the Night. "Golden Brooks elevating every scene she's in", said Daniel Fienberg in his review for The Hollywood Reporter. In 2019, she reunited with her Girlfriends co-stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones and Persia White in the episode of ABC comedy series Black-ish. In 2023, Brooks starred in the coming-of-age comedy series, Saturdays as a mother of lead, and played the leading role in the Tubi Holiday comedy film, Hot Girl Winter. In 2024 she had a recurring role in the Starz crime drama series, Power Book II: Ghost.

Personal life Brooks and fellow actor D. B. Woodside were in a relationship from 2008 to 2010; they have a daughter together, born in 2009.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Drive by: A Love Story Young Tuli Short film 1998 Hell's Kitchen Gold Zero Stress The Dancer 2000 Timecode Onyx Richardson 2001 Asylum Angela Short film Impostor Cale's Sister 2004 Motives Allannah James Direct-to-video 2005 Beauty Shop Chanel 2006 Something New Suzette 2008 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Rachel Direct-to-video 2010 Polish Bar Ebony 2011 The Mudman Mother The Perfect Gift Sandra Harris The Inheritance Karen 2012 A Beautiful Soul Anita Stevens The Great Divide Kim 2015 Supermodel Patricia Gillard 2016 Definitely Divorcing Tonisha My B.F.F. Sharice Brown She's Got a Plan Herself 2017 Almost Amazing Wendy The White Sistas Stone White 2018 The Darkest Minds Molly Daly Everything That Glitters Victoria Robinson He Watches Over Me Jasmine 2020 Kiss Me for Christmas Millie Michaels 2021 Coins Forever Veronica 2022Block Party Tasha McQueen 2023Packz Carla2023Hot Girl Winter Jess

Television Year Title Role Notes 1996 The Adventures of Pete & Pete Heather Episode: "Crisis in the Love Zone" 1998–2000 Linc's CeCe Jennings Main Cast 1999 Promised Land Erica Sims Episode: "Leaving the Life" 2000 The Parkers Chris Episode: "Since I Lost My Baby" The Jamie Foxx Show Nancy Episode: "Double or Nothing" 2000–08 Girlfriends Maya Denise Wilkes Main Cast 2001 Moesha Maya Wilkes Episode: "That's My Mama" 2002 Haunted Rachel Landry Episode: "Abby" 2004 Star Trek: Enterprise Alicia Travers Episodes: "Storm Front: Part 1 & 2" 2005 Eve LaDonna Episode: "Testing Testing HIV" 2008 CSI: Miami Pam Dashell Episode: "And How Does That Make You Kill?" 2011 The Exes Bree Miller Episode: "Pilot" 2012 In Sickness and in Health Hope TV movie 2012–13 Hart of Dixie Ruby Jeffries Recurring cast: Season 2 2014 Second Chance Christmas - TV movie 2014–16 Hollywood Divas Herself Main Cast 2015 In the Cut Dawn Episode: "The Beat Goes On" Nicki Monique Episode: "Pilot" 2015–16 Blunt Talk Vivian Recurring cast 2018 5th Ward The Series Erica Ward Episode: "Flossin'" Ladies of the Law Monique Main Cast 2019 I Am the Night Jimmie Lee Greenwade Main Cast Black-ish Malika Episode: "Feminisn't" 2020 BET Her Presents: The Waiting Room Cynthia Howard Episode: "A Long Look in the Mirror" 2021 Station 19 Vivienne Episodes: "Say Her Name" & "Forever and Ever, Amen" 2022The Good Doctor Dr. Isabel BarnesEpisode: "Boys Don't Cry" 2023 Saturdays Deb Johnson Main Cast 2024The Ms. Pat Show TanyaEpisode: "Pick Up Your Feelings" 2024Power Book II: Ghost Janet StewartSeason 4: 3 episodes

Awards and nominations Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome 2003 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series "Girlfriends" 2004 BET Awards BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series "Girlfriends" 2005 Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Best Actress in the Independent Film "Motives" 2008 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series "Girlfriends" 2011 American Black Film Festival American Black Film Festival Award for Best Actress "The Inheritance"

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