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Brittany Daniel

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Brittany Daniel
Daniel at L.A. Direct Magazine's 2007 holiday party
Born
Brittany Ann Daniel

(1976-03-17) March 17, 1976 (age 48)
EducationGainesville High School
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
Adam Touni
(m. 2017)
PartnerKeenen Ivory Wayans (2007–2014)
Children1
RelativesCynthia Daniel (twin sister)
Cole Hauser (brother-in-law)

Brittany Ann Daniel (born March 17, 1976) is an American actress. She is the twin sister of photographer and former actress Cynthia Daniel. Daniel is best known for her roles as Jessica Wakefield in the teen drama series Sweet Valley High (1994–1997) and as Kelly Pitts in the CW/BET comedy-drama series The Game (2006–2011; 2014–2015). Her film credits include Brandy in Joe Dirt (2001) and its sequel Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser, White Chicks (2004), and Skyline (2010).

Early life

On March 17, 1976, Brittany and her twin sister, Cynthia, were born in Gainesville, Florida, to Carolyn and Charlton Bradford "C.B." Daniel Jr. They have an older brother, Brad.[1] By age 11, both girls were signed to the Ford Agency and began modeling. They appeared in Seventeen and YM. They also appeared in ads for Doublemint gum as the Doublemint Twins.[2]

Career

Both girls began acting in the 1989 with an appearance in the sitcom The New Leave It to Beaver. In 1992, when she was sixteen, Brittany won the role of Mila Rosnovsky on the short-lived syndicated teen drama Swan's Crossing. She then moved to New York to film the series.

After high school, she landed the role of Jessica Wakefield in the television series Sweet Valley High (twin sister Cynthia portrayed Jessica's twin, Elizabeth). During the run of Sweet Valley High, they made their film debut in the drama The Basketball Diaries (1995) alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.[1]

After Sweet Valley High was canceled in 1997, Daniel continued acting in films and television series including a stint on Dawson's Creek in 1999 and a role in the TBS television movie On Hostile Ground the following year. In 2001, she appeared as David Spade's love interest, Brandy, in Joe Dirt. In 2002, Daniel played one of the lead characters in the short-lived Fox series That '80s Show.

In 2002, she played Eric Forman's cousin Penny on That '70s Show. Daniel appeared on the show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as a transgender woman named Carmen.[3] She teamed with the Wayans Brothers for their films White Chicks (2004) and Little Man (2006).[4] That same year, she appeared in the VH1 television movie Totally Awesome before landing a lead role in The CW's half-hour comedy The Game, which she starred in until 2011.[5] However, she would return to the show in 2014. In February 2010, she was cast in the Brothers Strause thriller Skyline;[6] the film was released on November 12, 2010.

Personal life

In March 2014, Daniel revealed her reason for her departure leaving The Game in 2011 was due to her being diagnosed with Stage 4 hodgkin's lymphoma for which she underwent chemotherapy. As of 2014, she was cancer-free.[7]

She dated actor Keenen Ivory Wayans from 2007 to 2014.[8] In 2017, she married Adam Touni.[9] On October 24, 2021, Brittany welcomed a daughter, after her sister, Cynthia, donated her egg.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Basketball Diaries Blinkie
1999 Sonic Impact Rachel
2001 Joe Dirt Brandy
2004 Club Dread Jenny
2004 White Chicks Megan Vandergeld
2005 Dirty Tatiana
2006 Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders Samantha Stone
2006 Little Man Brittany
2006 The Hamiltons Dani Cummings
2007 Last of the Romantics Sarah Xavier
2007 Loveless in Los Angeles Kelly Liffen
2010 Skyline Candice
2015 Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser Brandy
2022 Cheaper by the Dozen Melanie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 The New Leave It to Beaver Zorigna #1 Episode: "Man's Greatest Achievements"
1992 Swans Crossing Mila Rosnovsky Regular role (54 episodes)
1994 Burke's Law Ginny Episode: "Who Killed the Legal Eagle?"
1994–1997 Sweet Valley High Jessica "Jess" Wakefield Main role (88 episodes)
1999 Dawson's Creek Eve Whitman Recurring role (4 episodes)
2000 Fortunate Son N/A Television film
2000 On Hostile Ground Cindy Evers Television film
2002 That '70s Show Penny Episode: "Eric's Hot Cousin"
2002 That '80s Show Sophia Main role (13 episodes)
2003 Just Shoot Me! Sarah Episode: "The Goodbye Girl"
2003 111 Gramercy Park Brynn Martin Television film
2004 North Shore Cari Layne Episode: "Pilot"
2005;
2007;
2010
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Carmen 4 episodes
2006 Totally Awesome Kimberly Television film
2006 Community Service Carly Phillips Television film
2006–2011;

2014–2015

The Game Kelly Pitts Main role: Seasons 1–3;

Recurring role: Seasons 4, 7–9 (80 episodes)

2008 Ruby Herself Episode: "Meet Ruby"
2016–2019 Black-ish Blair 4 episodes
2020 BlackAF Dr. Peterson Episode: "hard to believe, but still because of slavery"

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Film or series
1993 Young Artist Award Nominated Best Young Actress in an Off-Primetime Series Swans Crossing
1995 Young Artist Award Won Best Performance: Young Actress in a TV Comedy Series (shared with Cynthia Daniel) Sweet Valley High
2007 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival Won Best Actress Last of the Romantics
2007 MTV Movie Awards Nominated Best Kiss (shared with Marlon Wayans) Little Man
2010 Daytime Emmy Awards Nominated Outstanding Special Class Series (shared with the cast) Ruby

References

  1. ^ a b "Brittany Daniel Biography". Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
  2. ^ "Seeing Double". People. 49 (18). May 11, 1998. Archived from the original on May 21, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  3. ^ Moore, Ali (May 26, 2019). "Where are they now? The cast of Sweet Valley High, 22 years after the show ended". Mama Mia. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  4. ^ "Brittany Daniel: Career Milestones". tv.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
  5. ^ West, Kelly (June 27, 2006). "Brittany Daniel Replaces Parker In The Game". cinemablend.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
  6. ^ "Brittany Daniel The Latest to Check Out the Skyline". Dreadcentral.com. February 23, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
  7. ^ McNiece, Mia (March 19, 2014). "Brittany Daniel Reveals Battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma". People.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  8. ^ "Brittany Daniel SPEAKS On Cancer Battle & Dating Keenan Ivory Wayans". Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  9. ^ Sweet Valley High Alum Brittany Daniel Marries Adam Touni in Urban Chic Wedding
  10. ^ "Sweet Valley High's Brittany Daniel Welcomes Baby After Her Twin Sister Donates Egg". E! Online. January 6, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2022.