Oscar-Nominated Actress
Aunjanue Ellis: Biography at a Glance
- Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor's powerful portrayals in films like The Nickel Boys and Origin reflect her deep commitment to amplifying Black voices and stories, inspiring audiences to engage with history and culture in transformative ways.
- Celebrated for her Academy Award-nominated performance in King Richard, Aunjanue exemplifies excellence, resilience, and the power of representation in the entertainment industry.
- Through her Emmy-nominated roles in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us and HBO's Lovecraft Country, Aunjanue shines a light on systemic injustices, fostering dialogue and awareness on critical societal issues.
- Beyond her acting, Aunjanue uses her platform to advocate for underrepresented communities, making her a leading voice for empowerment and cultural preservation.
- With performances spanning groundbreaking projects like The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel and The Book of Negroes, Aunjanue's artistry inspires audiences with stories of courage, faith, and perseverance.
- Aunjanue’s dedication to bringing authentic, diverse narratives to life makes her an uplifting speaker who encourages others to pursue their dreams and make meaningful impacts.
Videos
Biography
Oscar-nominated actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor can currently be seen in Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios’ Nickel Boys, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, which is directed by Oscar-nominee RaMell Ross and produced by Oscar-winning producers Dede Gardner & Jeremy Kleiner. She also starred in Netflix/Lee Daniels' film The Deliverance opposite Andra Day and Glenn Close, Supremes-At-Earl’s All You Can Eat opposite Uzo Aduba and Sanaa Lathan for Searchlight/Hulu and Titus Kaphar's feature film debut Exhibiting Forgiveness.
She received critical and audience acclaim for her portrayal of Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson in Ava Duvernay’s Origin. For her inspired performance as Oracene Price, mother to mega superstars Venus and Serena Williams, in the Warner Bros feature King Richard, Aunjanue’s performance received a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Academy Awards and won National Board of Review, HCA, and AAFCA’s Best Supporting Actress awards. Ellis additionally secured Best Supporting Actress nominations from the BAFTAs, Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and the NAACP Image Awards (among others) for her work as Oracene.
On television, she was recently seen in Justified: City Primeval opposite Timothy Olyphant at FX/HULU. Aunjanue has also received two Emmy Award nominations: the first for her portrayal of Sharone Salaam in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix limited series When They See Us, and the second for her performance in the JJ Abrams and Jordan Peele-produced HBO series Lovecraft Country.
Aunjanue’s work in Lifetime’s The Clark Sisters: First Ladies Of Gospel earned her a NAACP Award nomination for Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special. Other recent credits include If Beale Street Could Talk, The Birth Of A Nation, Pimp, Miss Virginia, The Help and the E-One/BET miniseries, The Book Of Negroes (for which she was nominated for Outstanding Actress in A Miniseries at the 2015 Critics Choice Awards, the 2016 NAACP Awards, and won a Gracie Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Made for TV Movie or Limited Series).
Topics
Stories That Transform: The Power of Storytelling to Inspire Change
In this transformative talk, Oscar-nominated actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor explores the profound impact of storytelling in shaping culture, challenging injustices, and inspiring change. Drawing from her celebrated career in film and television, including her roles in King Richard, When They See Us, and The Nickel Boys, Aunjanue highlights how authentic narratives can amplify marginalized voices and bring hidden truths to light.
Through personal anecdotes and reflections on her craft, she reveals how storytelling serves as a catalyst for empathy, empowerment, and social progress. Aunjanue’s passion for telling meaningful, diverse stories offers audiences a powerful call to action: to embrace the transformative potential of their own stories to create a more just and equitable world.
