Aunjanue Ellis’s Moment Of Truth
essence.comand glitzy Hollywood parties to secure nominations, Aunjanue Ellis is at home in Mississippi. The actress, who gave one of the most talked-about performances in film in 2021, has been catching up on her reading, tending to her cats and staying close to her family.
She’s happy. Instead of choosing to reside in Los Angeles or New York City, as most entertainers do, Ellis, who was raised in McComb, Mississippi, chose to return to the South 11 years ago.
She says it’s the best decision she ever made.“This is where I want to be,” Ellis says over Zoom. “I want to be down here in these woods.”We talk just days before the actress receives her first Academy Award nomination, in the Best Supporting Actress category—for her turn as Oracene “Brandy” Price, mother of Venus and Serena Williams, alongside Will Smith in King Richard.
The moment comes after more than 25 years of work, and it’s one Ellis once made peace with never having.“A few years ago, I said, ‘These kinds of things will always elude me,’” recalls the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood honoree. “I wasn’t talking about how many people would know who I am—but just, really, getting awards, attention, all of that stuff.
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