Like many actors and singers, Danielle Brooks got her start in the church and used her passion to propel herself into a career that continues to expand into other endeavors. As a new mom, she now finds her most rewarding job yet is raising her baby girl.

Brooks sat down with Blavity in the latest episode of our video series "Regarding" to share how her career has ultimately taught valuable lessons.

Fortunately for the Orange Is The New Black star, her mother saw her spunk and energy early on and enrolled her into performing arts program in Greenville, South Carolina. The singer says her mother's attentiveness to enroll her in the theater program was the beginning of many open doors.

"It opened a gateway of creativity and imagination so I've always had a passion since I was a little girl," Brooks said.

From there, the 30-year-old said she started to experiment with acting by participating in church plays. 

"Church I always credit to me loving acting as well because there were so many parallels. You have an audience and there is something you want them to feel and you have a minister who's like the director and you have a choir who is like the ensemble," she said.

"And I think that's why I love the theater so much because it's suppose to move you the same way a service would," she added.

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Although she credits the church as the origination for her passion of acting, she says being accepted into Juilliard was her first big break.

"They were one of the first people t say yes. They were one of the first people to say you, Danielle, as an individual are perfect the way that you are. There's a place for you in this industry. They gave me permission to dream bigger than I could ever dream and know there's a place for me," the actress said.

Despite walking into the height of her career, Brooks said she taught herself early on how to manage her money and live below her means. 

As she navigated the real world as an adult, she said she realized that Juilliard taught her how to be a great performer but they didn't teach her the life skills needed to live. 

"I never tried living past my means and that served me really well," Brooks said. "I was on Orange Is The New Black still taking the bus, still taking the subway with no shame. People would say, 'You have the money,' that's what you think I spend how I feel is good for me."

Although Brooks says everything hasn't always been easy, her journey and life lessons have led her to explore other passions like doing voiceovers, theater and even executive producing a broadway show.

"I keep going on a path and trusting that the journey is just the way it's supposed to be," she said. 

Above all else, though, Brooks says she's enjoying motherhood and taking time to be around family. She says it's showing her how much she's capable of doing as a woman.