---
name: "Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/aunjanue-ellis-taylor"
fi1m_id: "aunjanue-ellis-taylor"
imdb_id: "nm0254712"
tmdb_id: 53923
wikidata_id: "Q461762"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 February 1969"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 12
updated: "2026-10-05T11:33:35.507515+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

## Identity

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/aunjanue-ellis-taylor
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** aunjanue-ellis-taylor
- **IMDb ID:** nm0254712
- **TMDB ID:** 53923
- **Wikidata ID:** Q461762
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunjanue_Ellis-Taylor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q461762, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0254712/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/53923

Actor. Born 21 February 1969 in San Francisco, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 February 1969, San Francisco, California, USA
- **Active:** 2004–present
- **Also known as:** Aunjanue L. Ellis , Aunjanue Ellis, آنجانو الیس, アーンジャニュー・エリス
- **Frequently works with:** [Dede Gardner](https://film.one/person/dede-gardner.md), [Ethan Herisse](https://film.one/person/ethan-herisse.md), [Jeremy Kleiner](https://film.one/person/jeremy-kleiner.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 12 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 65 (3), 2010s 77 (3), 2020s 68 (6)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 70 across 11 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 8 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 10, Crime 3, Action 2, History 2, Mystery 2, Music 1
- **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $624m across 8 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunjanue_Ellis-Taylor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q461762, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0254712/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/53923

## Coming up

- *Give Me Some Sugah* (2026-12-16)
- *Get Lite* (2027-04-09)

## Streaming the US now

- **MUBI:** [*Nickel Boys*](https://film.one/film/nickel-boys.md) (85)
- **Netflix:** [*When They See Us*](https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us.md) (84)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*If Beale Street Could Talk*](https://film.one/film/if-beale-street-could-talk.md) (81)
- **HBO Max:** [*Lovecraft Country*](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md) (74)
- **Disney+:** [*The Mentalist*](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md) (71)
- **Apple TV:** [*Lucky*](https://film.one/tv/lucky.md) (57)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

> Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor spent nearly twenty-five years being the steadiest person in other people's films, and since 2019 the films have started to notice. She is at her best when the writing gives her a room, a silence and someone who will not answer.

Early in *Nickel Boys* (2024), a grandmother crosses a room towards a boy for a hug. Jomo Fray keeps the camera at the boy's eye level, so the shoulder of Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor's dress fills the screen and then everything goes dark. We were caught off guard by how much that undid us, and on reflection it is her doing as much as the camera's: she comes on without hurry, and when the picture goes black we feel held rather than blinded. Later she has one long scene talking to a boy who will not answer, and it is the best acting in the film. She is good at waiting for a reply.

That patience took a long time to be noticed. She began on Broadway in 1995, as Ariel opposite Patrick Stewart in *The Tempest*, and then spent more than two decades in supporting parts: *Ray* (2004), Yule Mae Davis in *The Help* (2011), recurring television in *The Mentalist* and *True Blood*. The turn came in 2019 with *When They See Us* for Ava DuVernay, who has now directed her twice, and from there the parts got larger: Hippolyta Freeman in *Lovecraft Country* (2020), Oracene Price in *King Richard* (2021), and a first proper lead as Isabel Wilkerson in *Origin* (2023), the second of the DuVernay films. She has said, "Most of the work that I've done, I haven't been the lead, and that's never mattered. It's always been the character." We believe her, and we also think the leads should have come sooner.

What she does in a scene is decline to perform the feeling the writing is angling for. Hippolyta is George's wife and for a long time little more; then, late on, the series hands her a stretch of her own and she moved us more than the plot around it deserved, because she plays a woman finding out what she wants rather than a woman being told. *Nickel Boys* gives her the same thing at feature length, in a film that is exact, tender and a little in love with its own method. The risk is obvious. She has become the reliable mother and grandmother, the person who steadies a film, and directors may keep asking for that until it hardens into a manner.

*Lucky* (2026) shows the cost of the other kind of part. She plays Agent Billie Rand as tired, patient and unimpressed, the one person on screen who behaves like an adult with a job, and the series, having cast her, gives her nothing to do with any of it except chase Anya Taylor-Joy from town to town. Seven episodes of that is a waste of someone who is best when a scene stops moving. See *Nickel Boys* first. Then hope the next script has the sense to sit her down opposite somebody and let her wait.

## Biography

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is an American actress. She was born on 21 February 1969 in San Francisco, California, and raised in Mississippi. She studied at Tougaloo College, Brown University and New York University before beginning her professional career on stage.

Her film roles include Jo in *Men of Honor* (2000), Mary Ann Fisher in *Ray* (2004), Therese Garber in *The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3* (2009), Yule Mae Davis in *The Help* (2011), Oracene Price in *King Richard* (2021) and Hattie in *Nickel Boys* (2024). She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for *King Richard*.

On television she has appeared in *True Blood* (2008), *The Mentalist* (2010–2013), *When They See Us* (2019) and *Lovecraft Country* (2021). She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for the latter two. She played Agent Billie Rand in the 2026 miniseries *Lucky*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, people.com.*

## On Fi1m (12)

- *Lucky* (2026), Fi1m 57, as Agent Billie Rand — [page](https://film.one/tv/lucky.md)
- *Lucky Strike* (2026), Fi1m 52, as Mrs. Caldwell — [page](https://film.one/film/lucky-strike.md)
- *Nickel Boys* (2024), Fi1m 85, as Hattie — [page](https://film.one/film/nickel-boys.md)
- *The Color Purple* (2023), Fi1m 73, as Mama — [page](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple-2023.md)
- *King Richard* (2021), Fi1m 68, as Oracene 'Brandy' Price — [page](https://film.one/film/king-richard.md)
- *Lovecraft Country* (2020), Fi1m 74, as Hippolyta Freeman — [page](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md)
- *When They See Us* (2019), Fi1m 84, as Sharonne Salaam — [page](https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us.md)
- *If Beale Street Could Talk* (2018), Fi1m 81, as Mrs. Hunt — [page](https://film.one/film/if-beale-street-could-talk.md)
- *The Help* (2011), Fi1m 66, as Yule Mae Davis — [page](https://film.one/film/the-help.md)
- *The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3* (2009), Fi1m 54, as Therese Garber — [page](https://film.one/film/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3.md)
- *The Mentalist* (2008), Fi1m 71, as Madeleine Hightower — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *Ray* (2004), Fi1m 70, as Mary Ann Fisher — [page](https://film.one/film/ray.md)

## Complete filmography (86)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Get Lite* (2027), Actor
- *Give Me Some Sugah* (2026), Actor
- *Lucky* (2026), series, as Agent Billie Rand — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/tv/lucky.md)
- *Lucky Strike* (2026), as Mrs. Caldwell — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/lucky-strike.md)
- *Nickel Boys* (2024), as Hattie — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/nickel-boys.md)
- *Exhibiting Forgiveness* (2024), as Joyce
- *The Deliverance* (2024), as Rev Bernice James
- *The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat* (2024), as Odette Henry
- *Grace* (2024), Executive Producer
- *The Color Purple* (2023), as Mama — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple-2023.md)
- *Origin* (2023), as Isabel Wilkerson · Executive Producer
- *Justified: City Primeval* (2023), series, as Carolyn
- *61st Street* (2022), series, as Martha Roberts
- *King Richard* (2021), as Oracene 'Brandy' Price — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/king-richard.md)
- *The Subject* (2021), as Leslie
- *Lovecraft Country* (2020), series, as Hippolyta Freeman — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md)
- *The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel* (2020), as Mattie Moss Clark
- *Miss Virginia* (2019), as Lorraine Townsend
- *When They See Us* (2019), series, as Sharonne Salaam — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us.md)
- *If Beale Street Could Talk* (2018), as Mrs. Hunt — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/if-beale-street-could-talk.md)
- *Pimp* (2018), as Gloria May
- *Romeo and Juliet in Harlem* (2017), as Lady Capulet
- *Designated Survivor* (2016), series, as Eleanor Darby
- *The Birth of a Nation* (2016), as Nancy Turner
- *Quantico* (2015), series, as Miranda Shaw
- *The Book of Negroes* (2015), series, as Aminata Diallo
- *Of Mind and Music* (2014), as Una Vida
- *Get On Up* (2014), as Vicki Anderson
- *Sleepy Hollow* (2013), series, as Lori Mills
- *The Volunteer* (2013), as Leigh
- *Abducted: The Carlina White Story* (2012), as Ann
- *Missing* (2012), series, as Mary Dresden
- *Money Matters* (2011), as Pamela Matters
- *The Help* (2011), as Yule Mae Davis — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/the-help.md)
- *Game of Death* (2011), as Rachel
- *The Resident* (2011), as Sydney
- *The Tested* (2011), as Darraylynn Warren
- *Blue Bloods* (2010), series, as Sylvia Marshall
- *I Love You Phillip Morris* (2010), as Reba
- *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009), series, as Michelle Hanna
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Linda Underwood — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3* (2009), as Therese Garber — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3.md)
- *Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story* (2009), as Candy
- *The Hungry Ghosts* (2009), as Nadia
- *Motherhood* (2009), as Sample Sale Friend
- *Notorious* (2009), as Sandy
- *The Express* (2008), as Marie Davis
- *The Mentalist* (2008), series, as Madeleine Hightower — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *True Blood* (2008), series, as Diane — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/true-blood.md)
- *The Prince of Motor City* (2008), as Cora Neel
- *Racing for Time* (2008), as Officer Baker
- *Cover* (2007), as Valerie Mass
- *Justice* (2006), series, as Miranda Lee
- *Freedomland* (2006), as Felicia
- *E-Ring* (2005), series, as Jocelyn Pierce
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, as Ivy Kirk
- *Jonny Zero* (2005), series, as Gloria
- *Perception* (2005), as Vera
- *Ray* (2004), as Mary Ann Fisher — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/ray.md)
- *The D.A.* (2004), series, Actor
- *Brother to Brother* (2004), as Zora
- *MDs* (2002), series, as Quinn Joyner
- *Lovely & Amazing* (2002), as Lorraine
- *Undercover Brother* (2002), as Sistah Girl
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Carmen Rivera
- *John John in the Sky* (2001), as Earlene
- *The Caveman's Valentine* (2001), as Lulu
- *Disappearing Acts* (2000), as Pam
- *The Opponent* (2000), Actor
- *Men of Honor* (2000), as Jo
- *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Gail Moore
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Laura Chase
- *A Map of the World* (1999), as Dyshett
- *In Too Deep* (1999), as Denise
- *Desert Blue* (1999), as Agent Summers
- *Side Streets* (1998), as Brenda Boyce
- *The Practice* (1997), series, as Sharon Young
- *Ed's Next Move* (1996), as Erica
- *Girls Town* (1996), as Nikki
- *High Incident* (1996), series, as Officer Leslie Joyner
- *New York Undercover* (1994), series, Actor
- *Untitled Sister Rosetta Tharpe Biopic*, Writer
- *The Body Is Water*, as Ree
- *Einstein*, series, as Captain Frost
- *Joséphine Baker*, Actor
- *Liz Here Now*, as Liz Baxter · Executive Producer

## Gallery

- ![The CBC's Matt Galloway hosts an In Conversation with "The Book of Negroes" author Lawrence Hill, co-writer/director Clement Virgo and star Aunjanue Ellis at TI (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-1e3dc3ef2e02.jpg) The CBC's Matt Galloway hosts an In Conversation with "The Book of Negroes" author Lawrence Hill, co-writer/director Clement Virgo and star Aunjanue Ellis at TI (2015) — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![The CBC's Matt Galloway hosts an In Conversation with "The Book of Negroes" author Lawrence Hill, co-writer/director Clement Virgo and star Aunjanue Ellis at TI (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-70ddfacb6c58.jpg) The CBC's Matt Galloway hosts an In Conversation with "The Book of Negroes" author Lawrence Hill, co-writer/director Clement Virgo and star Aunjanue Ellis at TI (2015) — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22.jpg/1280px-Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, CFC invited special guests Aunjanue Ellis, Clement Virgo and Lawrence Hill to chat with residents and alumni about the adaptation ](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-7e0c01db5587.jpg) On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, CFC invited special guests Aunjanue Ellis, Clement Virgo and Lawrence Hill to chat with residents and alumni about the adaptation  — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_Master_Classes.jpg/1280px-Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month-_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_Master_Classes.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, CFC invited special guests Aunjanue Ellis, Clement Virgo and Lawrence Hill to chat with residents and alumni about the adaptation ](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-baa7174e5694.jpg) On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, CFC invited special guests Aunjanue Ellis, Clement Virgo and Lawrence Hill to chat with residents and alumni about the adaptation  — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month.jpg/1280px-Aunjanue_Ellis_Celebrating_Black_History_Month.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-b3198d701223.jpg) Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Image via TMDB
- ![Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-bde2933f447c.jpg) Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Image via TMDB
- ![Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-fd63d4a0b729.jpg) Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Image via TMDB
- ![Aunjanue Ellis at the VIP Reception. Photos by: Sam Santos | George Pimentel Photography (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-b021190f9918.jpg) Aunjanue Ellis at the VIP Reception. Photos by: Sam Santos | George Pimentel Photography (2015) — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Celebrating_Black_History_Month_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_%2815820918354%29.jpg/1280px-Celebrating_Black_History_Month_An_Evening_Honouring_%22The_Book_of_Negroes%22_%2815820918354%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor](https://film.one/media/person/10148/gallery-b32a075d5d84.jpg) Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2022: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *King Richard*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/aunjanue-ellis-taylor