Aunjanue L. Ellis is an Emmy-nominated American actress and producer whose career in film, television, and theater spans the past 24 years.

Ms. Ellis graduated Brown University & NYU Tisch School of the Arts, she began her acting career in the theater where her stage credits include the Broadway production of Joe Turner's ‘Come and Gone’, ‘A Winter's Tale’, ‘Drowning Crow’ and ‘Seeking the Genesis’. She later regularly appeared in a number of television series such as Miranda Shaw on Quantico, Michelle Hanna NCIS: Los Angeles, and Eleanor Darby on Designated Survivor. In 2015, Ms. Ellis was nominated for Television Critics’ Choice Award, NAACP Image Award, Satellite Award, and Black Reel Nominations for Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series for her role as Aminata Diallo in the epic BET adaptation of Lawerence Hill’s acclaimed bestselling novel, “The Book of Negroes.”Ellis’ extensive filmography hosts a variety of acclaimed independent and mainstream films. She is most recently known for her roles in films like Ava Duvernay’s “Central Park Five” which earned Ellis both a Primetime Emmy Award & Black Reel Award for her portrayal as Sharon Salaam. Other stellar performances of Ellis can be seen in breakout Barry Jenkins hit “If Beale Street Could Talk”, Sundance sensation, “The Birth of a Nation” which won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. and “The Help” which won Ellis and her castmates a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Her work on projects for both big and small screens features ‘Abducted: The Carlina White Story’, ‘Men of Honor’, ‘Ray’, ‘Get on Up, Cover’, and ‘The Express’. Ellis will also star in the upcoming series HBO’S ‘Lovecraft Country.’ Proud Social Justice Advocate, Ms. Ellis is the president and CEO of Miss Myrtis Films, and co-founder of Take it Down America. Both organizations share a vital, emboldened mission- to strive toward the abolition of racist southern symbols from Mississippi and other surrounding states through education, advocacy, and short documentaries.