Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Discusses ‘Nickel Boys’ and Oscar Snub for ‘Origin’

Jackson: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor never planned to focus on roles about race, but here she is. She’s been in powerful films like “When They See Us” and “The Color Purple.” It seems she naturally gravitates toward these stories.

In her latest film, “Nickel Boys,” she plays a grandmother in a heartbreaking tale about a Black boy in a brutal reform school in the 1960s. The film, based on Colson Whitehead’s novel, offers a raw look at growing up during the Jim Crow era.

Ellis-Taylor believes her passion for these heavy topics stems from her roots in Mississippi, where she’s fought against the remnants of the Confederacy. She’s not shy about speaking out against racial injustice, and she feels that her activism influences the roles she gets.

She’s candid about the pressure on Black filmmakers to provide hope in their stories. When asked about the lack of hope in films like “Nickel Boys,” she questions why that burden falls solely on Black creators.

The snub of “Origin” during awards season still stings for her. She feels it missed a chance to spark important conversations about race and caste in America. It’s frustrating because she knows how much Ava DuVernay wanted the film to be part of the national dialogue.

Ellis-Taylor also spoke out about the erasure of queer themes in “The Color Purple.” She believes it’s crucial to honor the original story, which includes Black lesbian experiences. As a queer woman herself, she feels it’s vital to advocate for representation in storytelling.

After her Oscar nomination for “King Richard,” she’s noticed some changes in her career, but she still wants to create more diverse roles. She’s currently working on a project about Rosetta Tharpe, a pioneering figure in rock ‘n’ roll, highlighting the need for more stories about influential women in music.

“Nickel Boys” is now in theaters, and Ellis-Taylor continues to push for authentic representation in film.