Danielle Brooks on Her Oscar Nomination: ‘Look What God Has Done’

How does it feel to be an Oscar nominee?

It’s like getting the M.V.P. at the Super Bowl. Crazy. It’s what I always just hoped and dreamed would happen, but for it to actually happen, I’m in shock! It’s like what it says in “The Color Purple”: “Look what God has done.”

What did you learn from playing Sofia on Broadway?

There was such an electricity in the theater, people just had to come see the show. I felt so much pressure. It was playing Sofia, this strong woman who was so sure of herself, that gave me the confidence, every night when I sang “Hell, No,” to say hell, no to my fears. She taught me how to live in my power. Getting to do it on the screen, that’s when I learned how to own my power. People assume that actors have all this confidence and are just brave people, which we are, but we get to hide behind characters. Now I can stand 10 toes down and believe in my heart that I’m worthy of moments like this.

You were a Tony nominee for that Broadway performance. You won a Grammy. But I’ve read that your audition process for the film took six months. Did you have to fight for the role?

I did. But I came in with no ego, because as much as I wanted to scream from the rooftops, scream all those accolades, there was no reason for that. Because part of our job is to audition. I didn’t want anyone to say that I was handed a role. I wasn’t handed anything. I worked my butt off for that role for six months doing chemistry reads, recording songs, having meetings. I did whatever they asked me to do. And it didn’t miss me. The blessing didn’t miss me. I’m grateful that I did remove ego. Because here we are today.

How did making the film feel different?

When I was doing it in theater, all we had were wooden chairs and a wooden stage. So I used my imagination. But with this I got all the elements I could ever want. I’m actually in the Georgian sun on a plantation. That sets me right where I need to be. It was the biggest gift as an actor. And now today, to be standing in this position, the only one from this movie to get nominated, I’m very humbled. I just feel like there are so many people I’m standing in for who are so deserving and have worked so hard, every cast and crew member who was out there in the beating 90-degree weather, this is for them.