Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard, Justified: City Primeval) has joined the cast of Einstein, the new CBS drama series starring Matthew Gray Gubler and Melissa Fumero. The series joins CBS’ 2026-27 broadcast season and is currently in production.
In a series regular role, Ellis-Taylor will play Captain Frost, a veteran police officer. She has logged ten thousand hours in the field and is counting the days until she retires with her partner.
Einstein follows Lewis Einstein (Gubler), the brilliant but directionless great-grandson of Albert Einstein. He spends his days as a comfortably tenured professor until his bad-boy antics land him in trouble with the law, and he is pressed into service helping Teri (Fumero), a local police detective, solve her most puzzling cases.
Lewis is a popular professor at Princeton … when he actually shows up for class. Irreverent and misguided, his genius and famous name weigh heavily on him, but using his gift to help solve homicides may — finally — offer his life some direction and purpose.
Andy Breckman, Randy Zisk, Michael Rauch, Tariq Jalil, Rose Hughes, Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia and Laura Beetz executive produce Einstein. Gubler also serves as a producer. CBS Studios is the studio.
Ellis-Taylor can soon be seen starring in the crime drama Lucky for Apple TV. She recently completed production on ‘Tis SO Sweet for Netflix, Lucky Strike, and Liz Here Now, directed by Sterling Macer Jr. She most recently appeared in the film Nickel Boys, the Fox Searchlight/Hulu feature The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, Lee Daniels’ Netflix film The Deliverance and Titus Kaphar’s feature directorial debut, Exhibiting Forgiveness.
For her portrayal of Oracene Price, Venus and Serena Williams’ mother, in King Richard, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
On TV, Ellis-Taylor appeared in Justified: City Primeval opposite Timothy Olyphant for FX and Hulu, starred in Netflix’s When They See Us and HBO’s Lovecraft Country, receiving Emmy nominations for both roles. She is repped by CAA and TMT Entertainment Group.
