For which sports drama was Lucky cast member Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Oscar-nominated? The answer is King Richard.
Ellis-Taylor played Oracene “Brandy” Price, the mother of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, in the 2021 sports drama. The film focuses on Richard Williams’s determined plan to guide his daughters toward professional tennis, while also showing Oracene’s important role within the family.
Her performance earned Ellis-Taylor a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. King Richard also starred Will Smith as Richard Williams and received multiple Oscar nominations, winning Smith the Best Actor award.
A common mix-up is Ray, another acclaimed film in Ellis-Taylor’s résumé. She appeared in Ray and was part of its ensemble, but King Richard—not Ray, The Help, or Origin—brought her first Oscar nomination.