Aunjanue Ellis

Aunjanue L. Ellis-Taylor ( Ellis; born February 21, 1969) 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.

During the late 1990s, Ellis also had supporting roles in films such as Ed's Next Move, Desert Blue, In Too Deep, and A Map of the World.

The following year, she played daughter of Samuel L. Jackson's character in the mystery-drama film The Caveman's Valentine, directed by Kasi Lemmons and based on George Dawes Green's 1994 novel of the same name.

In 1995, Ellis made her professional acting debut appearing as Ariel opposite Patrick Stewart's Prospero in a Broadway revival of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. She later made her screen debut in the episode of Fox police drama series New York Undercover.

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).

In 1996, she had the co-leading role in the independent film Girls Town alongside Lili Taylor.

From 1996 to 1997, Ellis starred as Officer Leslie Joyner in the ABC police drama series High Incident, created by Steven Spielberg.

The series was canceled after two seasons.

In 1999, she had the recurring role of Sharon Young on the ABC legal drama, The Practice.

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), and The Color Purple (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.

In 2000, Ellis starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr.. in George Tillman, Jr.'s drama film Men of Honor.

Also in 2001, Ellis had a supporting part in the critically acclaimed comedy-drama film Lovely & Amazing.

In 2002, she had main role alongside Eddie Griffin in the action comedy film Undercover Brother.

On television, in 2002 Ellis had a regular role on the short-lived ABC medical drama MDs.

In 2004, she played Mary Ann Fisher in the Academy Award-nominated biographical film about musician Ray Charles, Ray.

In January 2004, she performed in Regina Taylor's play Drowning Crow, at the Manhattan Theatre Club.

From 2005 to 2006, she co-starred alongside Benjamin Bratt in another short-lived drama E-Ring on NBC.

She also had recurring roles on Third Watch, 100 Centre Street, Jonny Zero, Justice and True Blood.

She also played the leading role in the independent film The Tested based on the award-winning 2005 short film of the same name.

During this time, she also appeared in films such as Freedomland (2006), The Express (2008) and Notorious (2009).

In 2007, Ellis played the leading role in the thriller Cover, which received negative reviews.

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 Denzel Washington's wife in the 2009 film The Taking of Pelham 123, directed by Tony Scott.

In 2009, she co-starred alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.. and Kimberly Elise in the made-for-television film, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.

Ellis has also appeared in a number of Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre productions.

In 2010, Ellis co-starred opposite Wesley Snipes in the action film Game of Death.

In 2011, she appeared in the critically acclaimed period drama The Help, directed by Tate Taylor, as Eula Mae Davis, one of the maids, for which she received number of awards as a part of the ensemble cast, including National Board of Review Award for Best Cast.

In the Spring, 2012 Hampton University semester, she taught entertainment industry courses.

She was also featured in a Hampton Players and Company production, "Through the Crack."

In 2014, she played Vicki Anderson in the biographical drama film Get On Up about the life of singer James Brown, which was also directed by Tate Taylor.

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).

Ellis was born in San Francisco, California, and raised on her grandmother's farm in Magnolia, Mississippi.

She attended Tougaloo College before transferring to Brown University, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts in African-American studies.

She also studied acting with Jim Barnhill and John Emigh.

During her years at Brown University, Ellis made her debut in a student play.

She went on to study acting in the Graduate Acting Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.