Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
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Aunjanue L. Ellis-Taylor (born February 21, 1969) is an American actress. 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 Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), The Help (2011), The Birth of a Nation (2016), and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for portraying Oracene Price in the sports drama King Richard (2021). She has since starred in The Color Purple (2023), Origin (2023), and Nickel Boys (2024). 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), as well as the miniseries The Book of Negroes (2015) and series Quantico (2015–2017). She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the miniseries When They See Us (2019) and Lovecraft Country (2021) series. Description above from the Wikipedia article Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Credits
Lucky Strike (2026)
as Mrs. Caldwell
The Help (2011)
as Yule Mae Davis
Men of Honor (2000)
as Jo
King Richard (2021)
as Oracene 'Brandy' Price
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)
as Therese Garber
The Color Purple (2023)
as Mama
Nickel Boys (2024)
as Hattie
The Deliverance (2024)
as Rev Bernice James
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)
as Candy
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
as Mrs. Hunt
Ray (2004)
as Mary Ann Fisher
The Resident (2011)
as Sydney
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
as Nancy Turner
Undercover Brother (2002)
as Sistah Girl
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat (2024)
as Odette Henry
Get On Up (2014)
as Vicki Anderson
The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
as Lulu
I Love You Phillip Morris (2010)
as Reba
Game of Death (2010)
as Rachel
Notorious (2009)
as Sandy
Freedomland (2006)
as Felicia
Pimp (2018)
as Gloria May
In Too Deep (1999)
as Denise
Lovely & Amazing (2002)
as Lorraine
The Express (2008)
as Marie Davis
Origin (2023)
as Isabel Wilkerson
A Map of the World (1999)
as Dyshett
Get Lite (2027)
Actor
Girls Town (1996)
as Nikki
Give Me Some Sugah (2026)
Actor
Disappearing Acts (2000)
as Pam
Of Mind and Music (2014)
as Una Vida
Motherhood (2009)
as Sample Sale Friend
Side Streets (1998)
as Brenda Boyce
Cover (2007)
as Valerie Mass
Abducted: The Carlina White Story (2012)
as Ann
Desert Blue (1999)
as Agent Summers
Ed's Next Move (1996)
as Erica
Perception (2005)
as Vera
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (2020)
as Mattie Moss Clark
The Volunteer (2013)
as Leigh
The Prince of Motor City (2008)
as Cora Neel
The Subject (2021)
as Leslie
Money Matters (2011)
as Pamela Matters
Miss Virginia (2019)
as Lorraine Townsend
Brother to Brother (2004)
as Zora
Romeo and Juliet in Harlem (2017)
as Lady Capulet
The Body Is Water (—)
as Ree
Exhibiting Forgiveness (2024)
as Joyce
HBCU Honors (—)
as Self
The Hungry Ghosts (2009)
as Nadia
The Opponent (2000)
Actor
Racing for Time (2008)
as Officer Baker
John John in the Sky (2001)
as Earlene
Liz Here Now (2026)
as Liz Baxter
The Tested (2011)
as Darraylynn Warren
Joséphine Baker (—)
Actor