Dara Reneé Brooks (born 2000 or 2001) is an American actress, model, rapper, singer and songwriter whose notable roles include Kourtney Greene in the Disney+ mockumentary series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Uliana in the film Descendants: The Rise of Red, earning an Emmy Award nomination for the latter. She also was the host of the baking competition show Disney's Magic Bake-Off.
Early life Reneé was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Baltimore where her mother, Kimberly Brooks, founded a non-profit performing arts school, Encouraging Youth To Dream, in Pikesville. Brooks is also an actress and Reneé's grandmother was a member of 1960s Baltimore soul group The Royalettes. Reneé attended John Paul Regional Catholic School in Milford Mill. She began auditioning for theatre roles in New York before moving back to California to finish high school at Charter High School of the Arts (CHAMPS) in Van Nuys.
Career Reneé debuted with the role of Savannah in the 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie Freaky Friday.
In 2019, she had a recurring role as Stunts in the fifth season of the ABC Television series Black-ish. She also had a guest role in The Kids Are Alright.
Reneé stars in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series as Kourtney, a student, makeup artist and Nini's best friend. The series premiered in November 2019. Reneé had auditioned for the role of Kourtney, Kourtney was originally intended to be a one-off character, but Reneé was invited to become a series regular. She created the series' arrangement of "Bop to the Top". Starting in season 2 of the series, her own mother played her character Kourtney's mother, Michelle.
In 2021, it was announced that she would host Disney's Magic Bake-Off with Raven's Home star Issac Ryan Brown.
At the 2022 D23 Expo, her casting as Uliana, the sister of Ursula the Sea Witch, in Descendants 4 was revealed. The film, later officially titled Descendants: The Rise of Red, was released in 2024. She reprised the character in a voice role in the 2024 short film Wickedly Sweet: A Descendants Short Story.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2018 Freaky Friday Savannah Television film 2019 The Kids Are Alright Melissa Episode: "Show Boat" Black-ish Stunts My Stepfather's Secret Fee Television film 2019–2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Kourtney Greene Main role 2020 Descendants Remix Dance PartyHerself Television special 2021 Disney's Magic Bake-Off Host Grey's Anatomy Janice Episode: "Today was a Fairytale" 2024 Descendants: The Rise of Red Uliana Film Chibi Tiny Tales Herself Voice role; Episode: "Descendants 1+2+3: As Told By Chibi" Wickedly Sweet: A Descendants Short Story Uliana Short film; Voice role 2025 Electric Bloom Herself Episode: "How It All Came Out in the Wash"
Discography Albums Soundtrack albums Title Album details High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack Released: January 10, 2020 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, streaming, CD RIAA: Gold High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special:The Soundtrack Released: November 20, 2020 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, streaming High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 2 Released: July 30, 2021 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, streaming, CD High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 3 Released: September 15, 2022 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, streaming, CD High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: The Final Season Released: July 25, 2023 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, CD Descendants: The Rise of Red Released: July 12, 2024 Label: Walt Disney Format: Digital download, CD
Singles TitleYearAlbum "Believe" 2020 High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special:The Soundtrack "Beauty and the Beast" 2021 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 2 "Here I Come" 2022 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 3 "Let It Go" "Jump" 2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: The Final Season "Glitter Glide" 2026 Stitch and Angel's Pop Star Party
Other charted songs TitleYearAlbum "Stick to the Status Quo" (Rehearsal) 2020 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack "Bop to the Top" (Nini & Kourtney Version) "Stick to the Status Quo" (Performance) "We're All in This Together" (Cast) "Something in the Air" High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special:The Soundtrack "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" "High School Musical 2 Medley" 2021 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 2 "Belle" "1-2-3" "Be Our Guest" "Something There" "What Time Is It/Start the Party Mashup" 2022 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: Season 3 "I Want It All" 2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series:The Soundtrack: The Final Season "Perfect Revenge" 2024 Descendants: The Rise of Red
Awards and nominations Year Organisation Category Project Result Ref. 2026 Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program Descendants: The Rise of Red
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