Who is Danielle Brooks' husband? What we know about Orange is the New black Alum’s personal life amid abortion admission

Danielle Brooks is married to Dennis Gelin. The couple tied the knot in Miami, Florida, in January 2022. In November 2019, they welcomed their daughter, Freeya Carel.

The Color Purple actress appeared on the July 25 episode of the Pregnant Pause Podcast and revealed having an abortion. While chatting with the host and recalling that experience, she noted,

"It was really hard [and] very, very difficult to actually have an abortion."

She admitted that the procedure was not something she wanted exactly. However, "there was no way around it."

Danielle Brooks spoke about her abortion recently

Detailing her medical surgery, she pointed out that it is important to talk about the incident that she kept as a secret for years. She added,

"I think it’s important to share [and] I have been holding that for years now, but I think there comes a time where it’s, like, 'You know what? I want to [share] this because I know that there’s some woman out there [who] might be experiencing the same thing."

Danielle Brooks opened up about the reason behind her abortion, citing the use of a medicine as the cause. She discussed using Accutane to treat her acne concerns, further expressing,

"I, unfortunately, had a lot of acne. I was doing The Color Purple on Broadway, and my face was a mess. I was also doing Orange Is the New Black, and there was so much touching on my face, and that caused a lot of acne. I decided to do Accutane, but if you know anything about Accutane, when you are on [the medication], you are not supposed to get pregnant. It’s a requirement."

As she had no plans to get pregnant, she signed a form stating that she would not conceive during the period. She agreed to undergo an abortion in case she got pregnant while using Accutane. Though she never thought of experiencing motherhood at that time, she met her husband, Gelin, right after and conceived a baby. Admitting to breaking all rules, she said during the podcast,

"I will never forget when I saw that pregnancy test. I broke down, and it wasn’t out of fear."

Recalling feeling emotionally low, she further continued,

"I broke down because I realized I wanted to be a mom, and that option was no longer on the table in this moment, and it shocked the hell out of me because I had always been like, 'I don’t want to be a mother. I’m good. Career, career.'"

Brooks confessed to feeling "guilty" and "selfish a lot." However, she found her husband beside her throughout this journey. Praising Dennis for his support, she said,

"But I had a great partner, which is what was most important to me. He helped me through that time, and that was one of the reasons I said, 'This is my husband,' because he’s showing up in the right ways."

Interestingly, she was uncertain about getting pregnant and welcoming a child before she met her partner. Recounting how her decision changed, the Orange Is the New Black star explained,

"I did not want children. I was one of those women who believed I was not going to be married and I was not going to have kids, and I was OK with that. Then, I met my lovely husband, Dennis, in New York, and I was, like, 'You know what? I actually think I can have his babies.'"

Everything we know about Danielle Brooks' husband, Dennis Gelin

A look at his profession

Elle confirmed that Dennis worked as a real estate agent in New York City from June 2011 to July 2016, according to his LinkedIn page. From real estate, he transitioned his career into acting and held roles such as a child protective specialist from February 2019 to February 2021. However, after spending two years in the entertainment industry, he shifted back to real estate, where he continues to work presently.

A look at his romance with Danielle

Brooks first met Gelin at a random game night, she revealed to Vogue. As Elle cited, she looked back at the meeting and falling in love with her beau, expressing,

"What was supposed to be just another game night turned into night I will remember forever. It felt like a good idea for us two single ladies to invite over some good-looking prospects she had met while working there to play some Mafia and Taboo."

Appreciating Dennis's sweetest gestures, she told Vogue,

“My heart started to flutter. I could feel it. At that moment, I said to myself, 'If this card says 'From Dennis' I have found my husband.' Sure enough, I opened the card, and it said, 'To Danielle, Thank you for an amazing night. See you soon. Dennis.’ This man had gone above and beyond. He had flowers delivered to my house, and we hadn’t known each other for more than 24 hours."

They became parents in 2019 and married a couple of years later

The lovebirds welcomed their daughter on November 16, 2019, and announced the news on social media. 

On January 14, 2022, Brooks announced tying the knot to Gelin by sharing a carousel of unforgettable moments from their wedding ceremony.

According to a 2024 Creeto report, speculations hinted at Danielle Brooks being secretly married to Andrew Santino. Rumors made the rounds online, though neither confirmed the alleged marriage.