Background
Brooks was born in San Francisco, California.
Brooks was born in San Francisco, California.
She studied and taught ballet, jazz, and modern dance. Brooks studied literature and sociology and is a graduate of University of California Berkeley where she majored in Media Representation of Minorities with a minor in Theater.
She began her career with starring role in the Showtime comedy series, Lincolnshire"s (1998–2000), and later has appeared in films Timecode (2000) and Impostor (2001). She also has appeared in films Motives (2004), Beauty Shop (2005), and Something New (2006). Brooks is also a classically trained dancer.
Brooks earned a Masters degree from Sarah Lawrence College.
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, Lincolnshire"s, 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, Lincolnshire"son
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, however, in reality, Brooks is actually the eldest of the four actors.
She also has 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 television 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 Senior in the Fox pilot Lethal Weapon.Brooks left Lethal Weapon after the project’s table read, and Keesha Sharp, her Girlfriends co-star, later replaced her in role.
She is good friends with the title character Zoe Hart and a rival of southern belle Lemon Breeland.