Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is continuing her run of standout roles, this time heading to broadcast television. The Oscar-nominated actress has joined CBS’ upcoming drama Einstein as a series regular, stepping into a key role alongside Matthew Gray Gubler and Melissa Fumero. The casting adds even more weight to a series that’s already positioning itself as a character-driven procedural with a twist.
Ellis-Taylor will play Captain Frost, a seasoned police officer described as someone who has “logged ten thousand hours in the field” and is counting down the days until retirement alongside her partner. It’s the kind of role that leans into her strength—grounded, authoritative, and layered characters who carry both experience and emotional depth.
Einstein centers on Lewis Einstein (Gubler), the brilliant but directionless great-grandson of Albert Einstein. While technically a tenured professor, Lewis spends more time coasting on his last name than applying his genius—until his reckless behavior lands him in legal trouble. That’s when he’s forced into an unlikely partnership with Detective Teri (Fumero), helping solve complex criminal cases that require his unique mind.
The series blends procedural storytelling with character comedy and intellect, positioning itself somewhere between a traditional crime drama and a personality-driven mystery-of-the-week format.
Originally ordered to series in April 2025, Einstein experienced a delay and is now set for CBS’ 2026–2027 broadcast season. The project also saw a casting shift early on, with Rosa Salazar exiting the series and Melissa Fumero stepping into the female lead role.
Behind the scenes, the show is based on a German format and developed for U.S. audiences by Monk creator Andy Breckman, who executive produces alongside Randy Zisk, Michael Rauch, Tariq Jalil, Rose Hughes, Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, and Laura Beetz. Gubler also serves as a producer, with CBS Studios backing the project.
For Ellis-Taylor, the role adds to an already stacked resume across film and television. She earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance as Oracene Price in King Richard and has received Emmy nominations for When They See Us and Lovecraft Country. Her recent work continues to span both prestige and mainstream projects, including Justified: City Primeval, Origin, and The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.
She also has multiple projects on the horizon, including the Apple TV+ crime drama Lucky, along with upcoming films like ‘Tis So Sweet, Lucky Strike, and Liz Here Now.
With Ellis-Taylor stepping into Einstein, the series gains a grounded presence that could anchor its more eccentric lead. And as CBS continues to lean into character-forward procedurals, this trio—Gubler, Fumero, and Ellis-Taylor—might be exactly the kind of dynamic that keeps audiences locked in week to week.