Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
A powerhouse performer who brings profound dignity and fierce intelligence to every role, from historical figures to modern mothers fighting for justice.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American actress·Birthday: February 21·Generation X
Biography
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, a Mississippi native, built a formidable career on stage and screen through sheer force of talent, often in supporting roles that she transformed into unforgettable moments. For years, she was the actor you recognized and admired in projects like 'Ray' or 'The Help,' delivering performances of quiet intensity. Her breakthrough to wider acclaim came with her searing portrayal of Brandy, the mother of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, in 'King Richard,' which earned her an Academy Award nomination. She further cemented her status with her commanding lead role as Mississippi civil rights activist Medgar Evers's widow, Myrlie, in 'Women of the Movement.' Ellis-Taylor chooses roles with a clear moral compass, gravitating toward stories of Black resilience, love, and historical truth, which she embodies with a rare combination of grace and volcanic emotional power.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aunjanue was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aunjanue Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Aunjanue's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Brandy Williams in 'King Richard' (2021).
- Received a Primetime Emmy nomination for her leading role as Myrlie Evers in the limited series 'Women of the Movement.'
- Won critical praise for her performance as Hippolyta Freeman in the HBO series 'Lovecraft Country.'
- Delivered a standout performance as Sharonne in the award-winning film 'The Birth of a Nation' (2016).
Did You Know?
She is a graduate of Brown University and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
She began her career performing in Shakespeare in the Park productions in New York City.
She legally added '-Taylor' to her professional name in 2022 as an act of reclamation and connection to her ancestry.
She is an advocate for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
“I'm interested in the interior lives of Black women. I'm interested in our minds, our hearts, our spirits.”
