Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
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Ellis in 2015
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Aunjanue L. Ellis
February 21, 1969 San Francisco, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Aunjanue Ellis |
| Education | Tougaloo College Brown University (BA) New York University (MFA) |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
| Awards | Full list |
Aunjanue L. Ellis-Taylor (born February 21, 1969) is an American actress. She has won many awards for her acting. These include nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has acted in many movies. Some of her well-known films include Men of Honor (2000), Ray (2004), and The Help (2011). She also appeared in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). In 2021, she played Oracene Price in the sports movie King Richard. For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. More recently, she starred in The Color Purple (2023) and Origin (2023).
On television, Ellis-Taylor has had important roles in several series. These include High Incident (1996–1997) and The Mentalist (2010–2013). She also appeared in TV movies like Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009). She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. These nominations were for her roles in When They See Us (2019) and Lovecraft Country (2021).
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Early Life and Education
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor was born in San Francisco, California. She grew up on her grandmother's farm in Magnolia, Mississippi. She first went to Tougaloo College. Later, she moved to Brown University. There, she earned a degree in African-American studies.
She also studied acting with teachers Jim Barnhill and John Emigh. While at Brown University, she performed in her first play as a student. After Brown, she continued her acting studies. She attended the Graduate Acting Program at New York University.
Acting Career
Starting Out in the 1990s
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor began her acting career in 1995. She made her first professional stage appearance on Broadway. She played Ariel in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. Soon after, she appeared on TV in the police drama New York Undercover.
In 1996, she had a main role in the independent film Girls Town. Throughout the late 1990s, she took on supporting roles in movies. These included Desert Blue and A Map of the World. From 1996 to 1997, she starred as Officer Leslie Joyner in the ABC series High Incident. In 1999, she had a recurring role in the legal drama The Practice.
Major Roles in the 2000s
In 2000, Ellis-Taylor starred with Cuba Gooding Jr. in the drama film Men of Honor. The next year, she played the daughter of Samuel L. Jackson's character in The Caveman's Valentine. She also appeared in the comedy-drama Lovely & Amazing.
In 2002, she had a main role in the action comedy Undercover Brother. In 2004, she played Mary Ann Fisher in Ray. This movie was about the musician Ray Charles. She also appeared in films like Freedomland (2006) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009). In The Taking of Pelham 123, she played Denzel Washington's wife.
On television, she had a regular role in the medical drama MDs in 2002. From 2005 to 2006, she co-starred in E-Ring on NBC. She also had recurring roles in shows like Third Watch and True Blood. In 2009, she starred in the TV movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.
Success in the 2010s
In 2010, Ellis-Taylor co-starred with Wesley Snipes in the action film Game of Death. In 2011, she was part of the cast of The Help. This movie was highly praised. She received several awards as part of the cast, including the National Board of Review Award for Best Cast. In 2014, she played Vicki Anderson in Get On Up. This film was about the life of singer James Brown.
From 2010 to 2013, Ellis-Taylor had a recurring role in the CBS series The Mentalist. She played Madeleine Hightower. In 2014, she was chosen for the main role in the miniseries The Book of Negroes. This series was based on a popular novel. It premiered in 2015, and her performance received great reviews. Critics praised her ability to show a wide range of emotions. She earned a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for her work.
In 2015, Ellis-Taylor was cast in the ABC thriller series Quantico. She was a main character for two seasons. In 2016, she co-starred in The Birth of a Nation. This historical drama was about the 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner. Ellis-Taylor played Nancy Turner, Nat's mother. In 2018, she appeared in If Beale Street Could Talk.
In 2019, she starred in the Ava DuVernay-directed miniseries When They See Us for Netflix. For her powerful performance, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.
Recent Work in the 2020s
In 2020, Ellis-Taylor played Mattie Moss Clark in the Lifetime TV movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The movie was very popular and received positive reviews. Ellis-Taylor's acting was highly praised by critics and fans. She was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Also in 2020, she co-starred in the HBO drama series Lovecraft Country. She received a Primetime Emmy Awards nomination for her role in this series.
In 2021, Ellis-Taylor starred as Oracene Price alongside Will Smith in King Richard. This movie was about Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. Her performance was highly praised. She earned her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. She also received nominations for a British Academy Film Awards and a Golden Globe Award. She won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress.
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In 2022, Ellis-Taylor starred in the AMC courtroom drama series 61st Street. In 2023, she played attorney Carolyn Wilder in the FX crime drama series Justified: City Primeval. Critics praised her performance, with some calling it one of her best roles.
Also in 2023, Ellis-Taylor took on a leading role in the Ava DuVernay drama film Origin. This movie was based on the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Ellis-Taylor played Isabel Wilkerson, the author. This was her first main role in a major film. She also co-starred as Mama in the musical drama film The Color Purple, which was released in December 2023.
In 2024, Ellis-Taylor starred in The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat. She also appeared in the horror-thriller film The Deliverance and the drama film Exhibiting Forgiveness. She co-starred in Nickel Boys, a film based on a novel by Colson Whitehead.
Awards and Nominations
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor has received many awards and nominations throughout her career. You can find a full list of her achievements on her awards page.
Images for kids
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Ellis at an event for The Book of Negroes in 2015
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Ellis at an event Celebrating Black History Month in 2015
See also
In Spanish: Aunjanue Ellis para niños
