[Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.]
Aunjanue Ellis became a household name with her Oscar-nominated performance as Oracene Price, mother to tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams, in the 2021 sports drama “King Richard.” Her extensive list of credits includes everything from films such as “Ray” and “If Beale Street Could Talk” and TV series including “True Blood,” “Lovecraft Country” and “When They See Us.” Now she stars on “Justified: City Primeval,” which brings the Elmore Leonard character U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, played by Timothy Olyphant, back to television once again.
This time, the action has moved from Harlan County, Kentucky, to Detroit, and Ellis’ character plays a criminal defense attorney. “I like her because she and Raylan are kindred spirits. At first, she doesn’t like his tactics and he doesn’t like hers. But she actively seeks justice — even if that justice doesn’t happen in a courtroom — and I think she has that in common with Raylan.”
