Aunjanue Ellis

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, an American stage and screen actress best known for her film roles as a character in Ray Undercover Brother and on the series on television The Mentalist. She holds a BA in African-American Studies and an MFA from Tisch School of the Arts New York University. Aunjanue Ellis is a writer and actress working in theater, film as well as television. Her acting career began in the theatre. Later, she was a part of various TV shows in independent films, mainstream and films. She came to prominence as Miranda Shaw on ABC's Quantico and was a part of BET's epic show The Book of Negroes for which she won critical acclaim but also a number of awards and nominations including the Television Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie. In 1995, she appeared in her first performance in The Tempest as Ariel. She's performed for the stage on Broadway as a part of Come and Gone, A Winter's Tale, Drowning Crow and Seeking the Genesis. The film work she has done is appreciated for films such as Men of Honor The Caveman's Valentine The Express, and The Help. The role she plays on TV in the series High Incident of ABC's Police Drama High Incident has earned her the praise of her fellow actors.