Brittany Daniel
Brittany Ann Daniel (born March 17, 1976) is an American television and film actress. She is the twin sister of former actress and photographer Cynthia Daniel. She is best known for her portrayal of Kelly Pitts on the CW/BET comedy-drama series The Game, Brandy in the 2001 film Joe Dirt, and for her role as Jessica Wakefield on the 1990s teen show Sweet Valley High
Early Life and Career[]
Daniel was born in Gainesville, Florida, the daughter of Carolyn and the late C. B. Danie Brittany is five minutes older than her twin sister Cynthia. The two also have an older brother, Brad (born in 1968).By age 11, both girls began modeling and appeared in Seventeen and YM. They first began acting in the 1990s with an appearance in the sitcom The New Leave It to Beaver. In 1992, when she was sixteen, Daniel 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) along with a Doublemint gum campaign. During the run of Sweet Valley High, the girls made their film debut in the drama The Basketball Diaries (1995) alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
After Sweet Valley High ended in 1998, 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, Brittany 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. She also appeared on the show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as a transsexual named Carmen. In 2004, she teamed up with the Wayans Brothers for their films White Chicks and Little Man That same year, she appeared in the VH1 television movie Totally Awesome before landing a lead role in The CW Television Network's half-hour comedy The Game. In February 2010, she was cast in the Brothers Strause thriller Skyline;The film was released on November 12, 2010.
Personal Life[]
On September 24, 2008, Daniel's father, C. B. Daniel, died in Gainesville, Florida from cancer.
She was romantically linked to writer/director/producer/actor/comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans. In 2017, she married Adam Touni.
She enjoys rollerblading and rock-climbing.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Zorigna #1 | Episode: "Man's Greatest Achievements" | |
| 1992 | Swans Crossing | Mila Rosnovsky | 54 episodes |
| 1994 to 1997 | Sweet Valley High | Jessica Wakefield | 58 episodes |
| 1995 | The Basketball Diaries | Blinkie | |
| 1999 | Sonic Impact | Rachel | |
| 1999 | Dawson's Creek | Eve Whitman | 4 episodes |
| 2000 | Fortunate Son | TV movie | |
| 2000 | On Hostile Ground | Cindy Evers | TV movie |
| 2001 | Joe Dirt | Brandy | |
| 2002 | That '70s Show | Penny | Episode: "Eric's Hot Cousin" |
| 2002 | That '80s Show | Sophia | 13 episodes |
| 2003 | 111 Gramercy Park | Brynn Martin | Unsold pilot |
| 2003 | Just Shoot Me! | Sarah | Episode: "The Goodbye Girl" |
| 2004 | Club Dread | Jenny | |
| 2004 | North Shore | Cari Layne | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004 | 'White Chicks | Megan Vandergeld | |
| 2005 | Dirty | Tatiana | |
| 2005 to 2010 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Carmen | 5 episodes |
| 2006 | Community Service | Carly Phillips | TV movie |
| 2006 | Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders | Samantha Stone | Video |
| 2006 | Little Man | Brittany | |
| 2006 | Totally Awesome | Kimberly | TV movie |
| 2006 | The Hamiltons | Dani Cummings | |
| 2006 - 2015 | The Game (U.S. TV series) | Kelly Pitts | 81 episodes |
| 2007 | Last of the Romantics | Sarah Xavier | |
| 2007 | Loveless in Los Angeles | Kelly | |
| 2010 | Skyline | Candice | |
| 2015 | Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser | Brandy / 1965 Ashleen | |
| 2016 - 2019 | Black-ish | Blair | 4 episodes |
| 2020 | BlackAF | Dr. Peterson | 1 episode |
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 | Sweet Valley High (Shared with Cynthia Daniel) |
| 2007 | New York International Independent Film & Video Festival | Won | Best Actress | Last of the Romantics |
| 2007 | MTV Movie Awards | Nominated | Best Kiss | Little Man (Shared with Marlon Wayans) |
Trivia[]
- Although she played Jessica Wakefield on "Sweet Valley High," Brittany was more like Elizabeth Wakefield. She was a National Honor Sociaity Student in high school and had one steady boyfriend. She's the conversative and shy twin.
- Her character, Jessica Wakefield on Sweet Valley High is the younger twin by four minutes, but in real-life, Brittany is the older twin by five minutes.
- Brittany co-starred in The Game, alongside, Tia Mowry who is also an identical twin like Brittany.
- Brittany also co-stars in Double Trouble that starred real-life twins, Amanda and Rachel Pace.
- Brittany and twin, Cynthia were Doublemint Twins, as well as spokesmodels for Twix and McDonald's.
- She enjoys rollerblading and rock-climing.
- She has painted portraits.
- Left her family in 1992 to work on Swans Crossing (1992).
- Likes rock climbing and roller blading.
- Has an older brother named Brad Raylius Daniel.
- Her father, C.B. Daniel, is running for Mayor of her hometown of Gainesville, Florida. (2004)
- Ranked #78 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World". [2002]
- Aunt of her sister, Cynthia Daniel's children, Ryland, Colt Daniel, and Steely Rose, with Cole Hauser.
- (March 19, 2014) Admitted that she was diagnosed with IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the summer 2011 after back pain, night sweats and flu-like symptoms. She had chemotherapy and is now cancer-free.
- Became engaged in January 2017.