- Nelsan Ellis
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Nelsan Ellis 
Ellis in June 2009Born c. 1978
Harvey, Illinois, U.S.Occupation Actor/Playwright Years active 2002–present Nelsan Ellis (born c. 1978) is an award-winning American film and television actor and playwright. He is well known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds in the HBO series True Blood, which he has been playing since 2008.
Contents
Early and personal life
Ellis was born in Harvey, Illinois.[1] When Ellis and his siblings were younger, their mother, a single parent after her divorce from her children's father, broke down over the death of her brother. Ellis and his siblings became wards of state as a result. They were then raised in Bessemer, Alabama by their grandmother. In Alabama, Ellis attended Jess Lanier High School for a year, then transferred to McAdory High School.[2] He moved back to Illinois at 15, where he lived with his maternal aunt, and graduated from Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois, in 1997.
At 17, Ellis joined the Marines, but quit not long afterwards. At 21, he enrolled in Juilliard, where he befriended True Blood-colleague Rutina Wesley.[3]
Awards
- While at Juilliard, Ellis wrote a semi-autobiographical play entitled "Ugly", which was performed at the school and later won the Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award. The play centered around his pregnant sister's murder at the hands of her husband.
- 2008 – Satellite Award from the International Press Academy for best supporting actor in a television series for his role as Lafayette Reynolds in HBO's True Blood.[4]
- 2009 – NewNowNext Awards "Brink of Fame: Actor" award.[5]
- 2009 – Ewwy Award for "Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" for True Blood.
Nominations
- 2009 - Scream Award for "Best Supporting Actor" for True Blood.[6]
- 2011 - NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" for True Blood.
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 2002 Lost Hoffa Short film 2005 Warm Springs Roy Collier TV movie Trespass Trespass 2008 The Express Will Davis, Jr. 2009 The Soloist David Carter Talent Titus 2010 Secretariat Eddie Sweat 2011 The Help Henry the Waiter Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 The Inside Carter Howard 13 Episodes 2007 Veronica Mars Apollo Bukenya Episode: "I Know What You'll Do Next Summer" Without a Trace Deng Nimieri Episode: "Lost Boy" 2008–Present True Blood Lafayette Reynolds Regular Won Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Won Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series
Nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Won Ewwy Award for best supporting actor in a Drama series
Won NewNowNext Award for Brink of Fame: Actor
Nominated for a Scream Award for best supporting actor
References
- ^ "'True Blood' actor Nelsan Ellis credits Thornridge teachers with on- and off-screen success." Retrieved on 2009-7-9.
- ^ Sharp, Dave."'True Blood's' Lafayette a glamorously shady character", "The Birmingham News", 2009-08-09. Retrieved on 2009-08-09.
- ^ Nelsan Ellis on True Blood’s Season of the Witches, Lafayette’s Mohawk, and Dodging the Marines. Retrieved on 2011-7-7.
- ^ "2008 13th Annual SATELLITE Awards Nominees". Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ^ "NewNowNext Awards: Who Won?". Retrieved on 2009-05-023.
- ^ "Scream 2009 Best Supporting Actor". Retrieved on 2009-09-01.
External links
Categories:- 1970s births
- Actors from Alabama
- Actors from Illinois
- African American actors
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Juilliard School alumni
- Living people
- People from Cook County, Illinois
- People from Harvey, Illinois
- People from Bessemer, Alabama
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