Aunjanue Ellis

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, an American producer stage and screen actress who is best known for her film roles on the film Ray Undercover Brother and on the TV show The Mentalist. She holds a BA in African-American Studies from Brown University and an MFA in Acting from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Aunjanue was born in the United States and is an American actress as well as a producer and director. She has worked in both film and television. Her acting journey began as a theater actress and then appeared in numerous television series and independent and mainstream films. Her most well-known role was Miranda Shaw on ABC's Quantico as well as on BET's epic show The Book of Negroes for which she not only received critical acclaim but also numerous nominations and awards including a Television Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie. In 1995, she made her debut in the role of Ariel on the stage as Ariel in The Tempest. The credits on stage include Come and Gone Drowning Crow as well as Seeking the Genesis, a Broadway production directed by Joe Turner. Her film work is highlighted by her roles on Men of Honor The Caveman's Valentine The Express, and The Help. Her work in television she has been praised for her part in the role of a character who is a regular on ABC's police drama High Incident.