It doesn't matter what your confidence level is like on a normal day — if you're not used to walking the catwalk or posing for a major campaign, you'll likely feel a tad nervous before doing so. But OITNB's Danielle Brooks [1], who also stars in Christian Siriano's Lane Bryant ads, has a trick for staying cool and confident when all eyes are on you. The actress treats her modeling experience as if she's playing a part.

"I have an alter ego, as every girl should have, and that's Zanny Mahogany," Danielle told us before stepping out on the Christian Siriano x Lane Bryant runway. "So that is who you'll see. But during rehearsal for the runway, I did have to say, 'OK, Danielle, act like a character. Put it on, you can do this.' Because if Danielle was doing the runway, she'd be nervous. So I have to channel somebody."

Danielle, who's actually tweeted about Zanny in the past, is not alone in trying this trick — even Beyoncé has an alter ego! (Really, who can forget Sasha Fierce [2]?!)

Scroll through for photos of Danielle — err, Zanny — doing her modeling thing in a yellow caped dress. Then, check out Christian Siriano's bridal collection [3], which is what our wedding style dreams are made of.

Danielle Walked the Runway While Channeling Her Alter Ego, Zanny Mahogany

And really werked it out there.

She Also Received Tips From Ashley Graham and Other Models

"I was telling all the other girls who are models — like Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, and Precious [Lee] — 'This is my first time doing this!'" Danielle revealed, talking about her photo shoot experience. "They were giving me tips on what to do. They’ve given me tips on how to walk the runway."

And Looked Stunning in a Flowy Yellow Design From the Collaboration

Despite starring in shows with orange and purple in the title (Danielle can currently be seen in Broadway's The Color Purple), yellow is so her color.

This Is 1 Confidence Tip We'll Definitely Have to Try