Danielle Brooks Engaged to D

Danielle Brooks dances with D on New Year's Eve 2019, the night of their engagement.   Danielle Brooks announced her engagement to long-time boyfriend D on December 31, 2019. In her photo on Instagram, she smiles radiantly as she dances with D, whose only clearly evident feature includes the back of his head.  

A Private Relationship

Although she outed their relationship on Instagram in 2018, she only ever refers to her beau as D. (source) The gossip rags surmise that D stands for Dennis Gelin. However, Danielle Brooks continues to evade confirmation of his identity. In June 2019, Danielle offered an interview to Health magazine. In discussing how she maintains her confidence, Danielle revealed her faith in the power of manifestation, a partnership between intention and hard work. "The manifestation thing is real. Wanting something right away isn't always good. What the universe has for you is always going to be better than what you can imagine - especially if you continue to work hard and be patient." (source) Although she spoke in the context of her work life, her words ring true for her private life as well. For example, one month later, she announced the happy news of her pregnancy on Instagram. On November 16, 2019, she and D welcomed baby Freeya Carel, whom Danielle describes as "our heartbeat" and her "sweet chocolate butter ball." (source, source) The following month, on the last day of the year, Danielle Brooks announced that D proposed before the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve 2019. (source) "I get to marry my best friend," she wrote. "D&D until the end." (source) Only one question remains.  

Who is D?

The celebrity news sites claim D stands for Dennis Gelin, a real estate investment associate who lives in New York City. Every image Danielle posts shows him only from obscure angles or from behind, concealing any identifying features. Even if Dennis Gelin fits the bill, finding information about him proves difficult. I found his Linked In profile, which lists him as a graduate from the University of Iowa. His career track includes a stint at DGA Security as a sales associate, as well as his current position as a sales associate for the investment firm. DGA specializes in commercial fire systems and safety measures. No matter his identity, D chose classic elegance for his lady love. Her ring features a pave-set band encrusted in tiny white diamonds, culminating in a diamond solitaire. While some experts surmise Danielle's ring features a round brilliant diamond, I suspect D chose a princess cut for his princess. A fitting choice for a queen in the making.  

Who is Danielle Brooks?

An Actor is Born

Danielle Brooks grew up in a Christian home in South Carolina. Living with her ministry-centered parents (her mom is a minister, and her father a deacon), she grew up solid in her faith. To this day, she begins every morning listening to Gospel music. (source) At the tender age of six, after starring in her church's nativity play, Danielle caught the acting bug. Though she wondered how her small town would allow her to stretch her wings as far as she wanted them to stretch, she never gave up on her dream. Not surprisingly, her determination, dedication, and hard work paid off when she received her acceptance notice from the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities. The two-year boarding school offered her a solid education in drama and the arts, opening the way for her to later attend New York's prestigious Julliard School. With a degree in drama from Julliard, she found work on Broadway following her graduation.

Broadway Beginnings

For her debut role as Sofia in the Broadway production of The Color Purple, Danielle won the Theatre World Award for Significant Broadway Debut. Furthermore, she earned nominations for the Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. (source) Not too shabby for a first-timer. Not surprisingly, success followed success. Following some voice work for Disney, she landed the role she remains most well-known for - Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson in the Netflix original Orange is the New Black. Originally the writers planned only two episodes. However, Tasha somehow found her way into every episode since her debut on the show. Danielle's work on OITNB gained the attention of the producers of HBO's Girls. In 2013, they hired her as the first black woman to star on the show. (source) Fast forward to 2019, when on the heels of her exciting pregnancy announcement in July, Danielle Brooks released a four-song EP, available on digital media outlets. She dedicated one of the songs, Seasons, to her OITNB coworkers, sharing that the song will accompany the final season of the show. (source) I can't help but recall Danielle's powerful message about manifestation - the power of intention paired with dedicated action. She remains a shining example of this powerful force, and I wish her, D, and Freeya all the best in the months and years to come! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews