1990s In 1995, Ellis made her professional acting debut appearing as
Ariel opposite
Patrick Stewart's Prospero in a Broadway revival of
William Shakespeare's
The Tempest. She later made her screen debut in the episode of
Fox police drama series
New York Undercover. In 1996, she had the co-leading role in the independent film
Girls Town alongside
Lili Taylor. During the late 1990s, Ellis also had supporting roles in films such as ''
Ed's Next Move, Desert Blue, In Too Deep, and A Map of the World. From 1996 to 1997, Ellis starred as Officer Leslie Joyner in the ABC police drama series High Incident, created by Steven Spielberg. The series was canceled after two seasons. In 1999, she had the recurring role of Sharon Young on the ABC legal drama, The Practice''.
2000s In 2000, Ellis starred opposite
Cuba Gooding Jr. in
George Tillman, Jr.'s drama film
Men of Honor. The following year, she played daughter of
Samuel L. Jackson's character in the mystery-drama film ''
The Caveman's Valentine'', directed by
Kasi Lemmons and based on
George Dawes Green's 1994 novel of the same name. Also in 2001, Ellis had a supporting part in the critically acclaimed comedy-drama film
Lovely & Amazing. In 2002, she had main role alongside
Eddie Griffin in the action comedy film
Undercover Brother. In 2004, she played
Mary Ann Fisher in the Academy Award-nominated biographical film about musician
Ray Charles,
Ray. In 2007, Ellis played the leading role in the thriller
Cover, which received negative reviews. During this time, she also appeared in films such as
Freedomland (2006),
The Express (2008) and
Notorious (2009). She played
Denzel Washington's wife in the 2009 film
The Taking of Pelham 123, directed by
Tony Scott. On television, in 2002, Ellis had a regular role on the short-lived ABC medical drama
MDs. From 2005 to 2006, she co-starred alongside
Benjamin Bratt in another short-lived drama
E-Ring on
NBC. She also had recurring roles on
Third Watch,
100 Centre Street,
Jonny Zero,
Justice and
True Blood. In 2009, she co-starred alongside
Cuba Gooding Jr. and
Kimberly Elise in the made-for-television film,
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. Ellis has also appeared in a number of Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre productions. In January 2004, she performed in
Regina Taylor's
play Drowning Crow, at the
Manhattan Theatre Club. In the Spring, 2012
Hampton University semester, she taught entertainment industry courses. She was also featured in a Hampton Players and Company production, "Through the Crack." in 2015
2010s In 2010, Ellis co-starred opposite
Wesley Snipes in the action film
Game of Death. She also played the leading role in the independent film
The Tested based on the award-winning 2005 short film of the same name. In 2011, she appeared in the critically acclaimed period drama
The Help, directed by
Tate Taylor, as Eula Mae Davis, one of the maids, for which she received number of awards as a part of the ensemble cast, including
National Board of Review Award for Best Cast. In 2014, she played
Vicki Anderson in the biographical drama film
Get On Up about the life of singer
James Brown, which was also directed by Tate Taylor. As lead actress, Ellis starred in the independent films
Money Matters (2011),
The Volunteer (2013),
Romeo and Juliet in Harlem (2014), and
Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind (2014). She also played the leading role in the 2012 television film
Abducted: The Carlina White Story. From 2010 to 2013, Ellis had a recurring role in the CBS series
The Mentalist, as Madeleine Hightower. She also played
Ashley Judd's best friend in the 2012 ABC miniseries
Missing, and had another role on the CBS procedural,
NCIS: Los Angeles. Ellis also starred as one of the lead characters in the 2013
AMC pilot
The Divide. When
WE tv picked up the show, Ellis left and was recast with
Nia Long. In 2014, Ellis was cast as the lead in the international co-production epic miniseries
The Book of Negroes, based on
Lawrence Hill’s bestselling 2007 novel.
The Book of Negroes premiered in 2015, and Ellis received critical acclaim for her performance.
The Hollywood Reporter critic Whitney Matheson praised her performance. "Except for the first installment that focuses on Aminata’s girlhood, Ellis is present in nearly every scene, aging decades and displaying a stunning range of emotion." Ellis received a
Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries nomination for her performance. At the
2016 Canadian Screen Awards, Ellis received Award for Best Lead actress, Television Film or Miniseries. On February 25, 2015, it was announced that Ellis was cast in the ABC thriller series
Quantico. She left the series after two seasons in 2017. In 2016, Ellis co-starred in the historical drama film
The Birth of a Nation, based on the story of the 1831 slave rebellion led by
Nat Turner. The film also stars
Nate Parker,
Aja Naomi King,
Armie Hammer and
Gabrielle Union. Ellis plays the role of Nancy Turner, Nat's mother, in the film. Also in 2016, she was cast opposite
Keke Palmer in the drama film
Pimp about life for women on the streets of New York and work in the illegal sex trade. In 2018, she appeared in
If Beale Street Could Talk, a drama film written and directed by
Barry Jenkins. In February 2018, Ellis was cast in a leading role on the CBS drama pilot
Chiefs, which was not picked up to series. Later, she was cast in the independent drama film
Miss Virginia opposite
Uzo Aduba and
Vanessa Williams. In 2019, she starred in the
Ava DuVernay-directed miniseries
When They See Us for
Netflix. She received a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie nomination for her performance.
2020s In 2020, Ellis portrayed
Mattie Moss Clark, the mother of
The Clark Sisters, in the Lifetime television film
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The film premiered on April 11, 2020, with positive reviews from critics and was the highest-rated original movie for Lifetime since 2016. Ellis was specifically praised by critics, fans, and the Clark Sisters for her performance. She received
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special nomination for her performance. Also in 2020, Ellis co-starred in the HBO drama series,
Lovecraft Country based on the
novel of the same name by
Matt Ruff. For her performance, she received
Primetime Emmy Awards nomination for
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 2021, Ellis starred as
Oracene Price opposite
Will Smith in
King Richard, a biopic about
Richard Williams. Her performance in the film received critical acclaim, earning the actress her first
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress,
British Academy Film Awards and
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture nominations. Ellis also received nominations at the
Critics' Choice Movie Awards,
Satellite Awards and
Black Reel Awards, winning the
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, and the Honorary Award at the
5th Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards. In 2022, Ellis starred opposite
Courtney B. Vance in the
AMC courtroom drama series,
61st Street. The series was ordered for a two-season run, but AMC decided against airing it. In May 2023, The CW acquired the series. Ellis then starred as attorney Carolyn Wilder in the FX neo-Western crime drama series,
Justified: City Primeval, the limited series inspired by
Elmore Leonard’s
City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit. She received critical acclaim for her performance, noted by some critics as her best role yet in career. Also in 2023, Ellis was cast in a leading role in the
Ava DuVernay drama film
Origin, an adaptation of
Isabel Wilkerson’s
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Ellis played Isabel Wilkerson in this film, making it her first lead role in a major film of her career. The film premiered at the
80th Venice International Film Festival. Ellis co-starred as Mama in the musical drama film,
The Color Purple. The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2023, by
Warner Bros. Pictures. In 2024, Ellis starred alongside
Uzo Aduba and
Sanaa Lathan in ''
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat'', an adaptation of Edward Kelsey Moore's 2013 novel of the same name. Directed by
Tina Mabry for
Searchlight Pictures, the film premiered at the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 7, 2024. It was released in theaters in the United States on August 16, and on Hulu on August 23. Ellis then starred alongside
Andra Day,
Glenn Close and
Mo'Nique in Netflix's exorcism horror-thriller film
The Deliverance, directed by
Lee Daniels. The film was released in select theaters on August 16, 2024, and began streaming on Netflix on August 30. Ellis starred opposite
André Holland and
Andra Day in the Sundance-premiered drama film
Exhibiting Forgiveness, directed by
Titus Kaphar and released on October 18, 2024. She co-starred with
Hamish Linklater and
Fred Hechinger in the period drama film
Nickel Boys, an adaptation of the
2019 novel by American novelist
Colson Whitehead, released in December 2024. ==Personal life==