Cast & creator
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Best known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Mentalist, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
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.
Also known as: Aunjanue L. Ellis , Aunjanue Ellis, آنجانو الیس, アーンジャニュー・エリス
61
film credits
33
television credits
90
1953–2027 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (94)
Showing 94 of 94 credits
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Laura Chase
1999
The Mentalist
Madeleine Hightower
2008
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Carmen Rivera
2001
NCIS: Los Angeles
Michelle Hanna
2009
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self
2022
Blue Bloods
Sylvia Marshall
2010
The Good Wife
Linda Underwood
2009
The Practice
Sharon Young
1997
Numb3rs
Ivy Kirk
2005
Third Watch
Gail Moore
1999
True Blood
Diane
2008
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
Sleepy Hollow
Lori Mills
2013
Quantico
Miranda Shaw
2015
Lucky Strike
Mrs. Caldwell
2026
Designated Survivor
Eleanor Darby
2016
Lucky
Agent Billie Rand
2026
New York Undercover
1994
The Oscars
Self
1953
The Help
Yule Mae Davis
2011
Lovecraft Country
Hippolyta Freeman
2020
E-Ring
Jocelyn Pierce
2005
When They See Us
Sharonne Salaam
2019
High Incident
Officer Leslie Joyner
1996
Men of Honor
Jo
2000
King Richard
Oracene 'Brandy' Price
2021
Justice
Miranda Lee
2006
61st Street
Martha Roberts
2022
Justified: City Primeval
Carolyn
2023
The Color Purple
Mama
2023
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
Therese Garber
2009
Nickel Boys
Hattie
2024
Missing
Mary Dresden
2012
Jonny Zero
Gloria
2005
MDs
Quinn Joyner
2002
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
Candy
2009
The Deliverance
Rev Bernice James
2024
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mrs. Hunt
2018
The Birth of a Nation
Nancy Turner
2016
Ray
Mary Ann Fisher
2004
Undercover Brother
Sistah Girl
2002
The Book of Negroes
Aminata Diallo
2015
The Resident
Sydney
2011
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat
Odette Henry
2024
Freedomland
Felicia
2006
The Caveman's Valentine
Lulu
2001
I Love You Phillip Morris
Reba
2010
The D.A.
2004
Get On Up
Vicki Anderson
2014
Pimp
Gloria May
2018
Notorious
Sandy
2009
Liz Here Now
Liz Baxter
2026Liz Here Now
Executive Producer
2026
Origin
Isabel Wilkerson
2023Origin
Executive Producer
2023
In Too Deep
Denise
1999
Game of Death
Rachel
2010
The Express
Marie Davis
2008
Girls Town
Nikki
1996
A Map of the World
Dyshett
1999Get Lite
2027
Lovely & Amazing
Lorraine
2002Give Me Some Sugah
2026
Motherhood
Sample Sale Friend
2009
Disappearing Acts
Pam
2000Einstein
Captain Frost
Desert Blue
Agent Summers
1999
Ed's Next Move
Erica
1996
The Volunteer
Leigh
2013
Of Mind and Music
Una Vida
2014
Cover
Valerie Mass
2007
Abducted: The Carlina White Story
Ann
2012
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel
Mattie Moss Clark
2020
Side Streets
Brenda Boyce
1998
Grace
Executive Producer
2024
Miss Virginia
Lorraine Townsend
2019
Exhibiting Forgiveness
Joyce
2024
The Subject
Leslie
2021The Prince of Motor City
Cora Neel
2008
The Hungry Ghosts
Nadia
2009
Perception
Vera
2005
Brother to Brother
Zora
2004
HBCU Honors
Self
Romeo and Juliet in Harlem
Lady Capulet
2017
Money Matters
Pamela Matters
2011The Body Is Water
Ree
The Opponent
2000
Racing for Time
Officer Baker
2008Untitled Sister Rosetta Tharpe Biopic
Writer
John John in the Sky
Earlene
2001
The Tested
Darraylynn Warren
2011