Aunjanue Ellis

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, an American producer stage and screen actress, best known for her film roles on the film Ray Undercover Brother and on the television series The Mentalist. She received a BA at Brown University in African-American Studies. At the Tisch school of the arts, New York University she obtained an MFA. Aunjanue is an American actor as well as a producer and director. She has worked in both film and television. Her career began as an actress in theatre but then proceeded to be a part of numerous television shows, both mainstream and independent films. Her most well-known role was Miranda Shaw on ABC's Quantico and appeared on BET's epic show The Book of Negroes for which she not only received high praise but also received a host of nominations and awards including a Television Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie. In 1995, she was the first actress to make her debut in The Tempest as Ariel. Her credits on stage include The Broadway performance of the Joe Turner musical Come and Gone A Winter's Tale Drowning Crow and Seeking the Genesis. When it comes to her career in movies the most recognizable roles she has played include Men of Honor The Caveman's Valentine The Express The Help. She is also well-known for her character on ABC's crime-drama High Incident.