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
King Richard (2021)
as Oracene 'Brandy' Price
Men of Honor (2000)
as Jo
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)
as Therese Garber
The Color Purple (2023)
as Mama
Undercover Brother (2002)
as Sistah Girl
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat (2024)
as Odette Henry
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)
as Candy
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
as Mrs. Hunt
Ray (2004)
as Mary Ann Fisher
Freedomland (2006)
as Felicia
Origin (2023)
as Isabel Wilkerson
The Deliverance (2024)
as Rev Bernice James
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
as Nancy Turner
Nickel Boys (2024)
as Hattie
In Too Deep (1999)
as Denise
Girls Town (1996)
as Nikki
Lovely & Amazing (2002)
as Lorraine
Get Lite (2027)
Actor
Pimp (2018)
as Gloria May
I Love You Phillip Morris (2010)
as Reba
Get On Up (2014)
as Vicki Anderson
Notorious (2009)
as Sandy
Cover (2007)
as Valerie Mass
Game of Death (2010)
as Rachel
The Resident (2011)
as Sydney
Perception (2005)
as Vera
The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
as Lulu
Give Me Some Sugah (2026)
Actor
HBCU Honors (—)
as Self
The Express (2008)
as Marie Davis
A Map of the World (1999)
as Dyshett
Of Mind and Music (2014)
as Una Vida
Motherhood (2009)
as Sample Sale Friend
Disappearing Acts (2000)
as Pam
Abducted: The Carlina White Story (2012)
as Ann
Money Matters (2011)
as Pamela Matters
Liz Here Now (2026)
as Liz Baxter
Desert Blue (1999)
as Agent Summers
Exhibiting Forgiveness (2024)
as Joyce
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (2020)
as Mattie Moss Clark
The Opponent (2000)
Actor
Side Streets (1998)
as Brenda Boyce
The Volunteer (2013)
as Leigh
Miss Virginia (2019)
as Lorraine Townsend
The Subject (2021)
as Leslie
Brother to Brother (2004)
as Zora
Romeo and Juliet in Harlem (2017)
as Lady Capulet
The Body Is Water (—)
as Ree
Ed's Next Move (1996)
as Erica
The Prince of Motor City (2008)
as Cora Neel
John John in the Sky (2001)
as Earlene
Racing for Time (2008)
as Officer Baker
The Hungry Ghosts (2009)
as Nadia
The Tested (2011)
as Darraylynn Warren
Joséphine Baker (—)
Actor