Aunjanue Ellis

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, an American producer stage and screen actress best famous for her role in film in Ray Undercover Brother and on the series on television The Mentalist. She is a graduate of the BA in African-American Studies and an MFA from the Tisch School of the Arts New York University. Aunjanue is an actor in the theater and film, and she is also an actor and producer. She began her career acting in the theatre but then proceeded to play in a variety of television programs, as well as independent and mainstream films. She gained acclaim as Miranda Shaw on ABC's Quantico as well as on BET's epic show The Book of Negroes for which she received not just an acclaim from critics, but also won a number of nominations and awards including a Television Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie. She made her professional debut in the role of Ariel on the stage in The Tempest in 1995. She's appeared on Broadway as a part of Come and Gone, A Winter's Tale, Drowning Crow and Seeking the Genesis. Film-wise, she's best known for parts like Men of Honor The Caveman's Valentine The Express or The Help. In the world of television, her role on ABC's drama series about police High Incident has earned her the praise of her fellow actors.