Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Ellis in 2015
Born (1969-02-21) February 21, 1969 (age 55)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Other namesAunjanue Ellis
EducationTougaloo College
Brown University (BA)
New York University (MFA)
OccupationActress • activist
Years active1995–present
AwardsFull list

Aunjanue L. Ellis-Taylor (/ˈɑːnʒənuː/;[1] née Ellis; born February 21, 1969)[2] is an American actress. Known for her work in several film and television productions, she has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.

She has appeared in numerous films, including Men of Honor (2000), Undercover Brother (2002), Ray (2004), Freedomland (2006), The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), The Help (2011), The Birth of a Nation (2016), If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), The Color Purple (2023), and Origin (2023). For her portrayal of Oracene Price in the sports drama King Richard (2021), she was nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

On television, Ellis had regular and recurring roles in the series High Incident (1996–1997), The Practice (1999), True Blood (2008), and The Mentalist (2010–2013). She also appeared in several television films, such as Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009), Abducted: The Carlina White Story (2013), and The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (2020). She played a leading role in the miniseries The Book of Negroes (2015), which earned her a Canadian Screen Award, and starred in the series Quantico (2015–2017). She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the miniseries When They See Us (2019) and the series Lovecraft Country (2021).

  1. ^ "Coffee Talk: Aunjanue Ellis". Essence. August 15, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  2. ^ "Ellis, Aunjanue 1969–". Encyclopedia.com. Cengage. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.