Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Jay Ellis(I)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Jay Ellis
On a trip to her hometown, workaholic Ally reminisces with her ex Sean and starts to question everything about the person she's become. Things only get more confusing when she meets Cassidy, who reminds her of the person she used to be.
Play trailer2:10
Somebody I Used to Know (2023)
48 Videos
95 Photos
Jay Ellis is a television and film actor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Born in Sumter, South Carolina, Ellis spent the majority of his childhood traveling with his military family. His father completed over 15 years of service in the Air Force while his mother was an accomplished finance executive and former board member of the Consumer Advisory Council for the Federal.

Jay graduated Suma Cum Laude at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon where he also played basketball and held the position of student body president. Ellis interned briefly with the Portland Trailblazers and also joined AmeriCorps to provide care and resources to disadvantaged students of Portland.

Ellis made the move to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for acting before landing his first role on the BET series The Game, which ran for 147 episodes. Over the years Ellis has been featured on critically acclaimed series Masters of Sex, Grace and Frankie, How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy, and NCIS.

Ellis lives in Los Angeles, CA and can be seen on the HBO comedy series Insecure.
BornDecember 27, 1981
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornDecember 27, 1981
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 9 nominations total

    Photos95

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 91
    View Poster

    Known for

    Issa Rae in Insecure (2016)
    Insecure
    8.1
    TV Series
    • Lawrence Walker
    Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
    Top Gun: Maverick
    8.2
    • Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
    • 2022
    Cate Blanchett in Mrs. America (2020)
    Mrs. America
    7.9
    TV Mini Series
    • Franklin Thomas
    Lizzy Caplan, Michael Sheen, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Annaleigh Ashford in Masters of Sex (2013)
    Masters of Sex
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Dr. Cyril Franklin

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • All Her Fault
      • Colin
      • In Production
      • TV Mini Series



    • Kate Hudson in Running Point (2025)
      Running Point
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Jay Brown
      • 2025
    • Stranded (2024)
      Stranded
      7.0
      Podcast Series
      • Additional Voices (voice)
      • 2024
    • The Gutter (2024)
      The Gutter
      5.5
      • Lil Patience
      • 2024
    • The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (2024)
      The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
      6.4
      TV Series
      • Flim (voice)
      • 2024
    • Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Ji-young Yoo, Jay Ellis, Angus Cloud, Normani, Jack Champion, DeMario Symba Driver, and Dominique Thorne in Freaky Tales (2024)
      Freaky Tales
      6.3
      • Sleepy Floyd
      • 2024
    • DaMya Gurley, Tamara Jade, Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, Angel Laketa Moore, and Skye Townsend in A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019)
      A Black Lady Sketch Show
      7.5
      TV Series
      • 2023
    • Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz, Pamela Adlon, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Nick Robinson, Dove Cameron, Tim Baltz, and Ronny Chieng in History of the World: Part II (2023)
      History of the World: Part II
      5.6
      TV Series
      • Jesus
      • 2023
    • Jay Ellis and Alison Brie in Somebody I Used to Know (2023)
      Somebody I Used to Know
      5.7
      • Sean
      • 2023
    • Jay Ellis, Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, and Lewis Pullman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
      Miles Teller: Great Balls of Fire
      8.1
      Music Video
      • Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
      • 2022
    • Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
      Top Gun: Maverick
      8.2
      • Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
      • 2022
    • Issa Rae in Insecure (2016)
      Insecure
      8.1
      TV Series
      • Lawrence Walker
      • 2016–2021
    • Holland Roden, Logan Miller, Taylor Russell, Thomas Cocquerel, and Indya Moore in Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021)
      Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
      5.7
      • Flashback - Jason Walker
      • 2021
    • Cate Blanchett in Mrs. America (2020)
      Mrs. America
      7.9
      TV Mini Series
      • Franklin Thomas
      • 2020
    • Thirsty (2019)
      Thirsty
      6.0
      Short
      • Young Man
      • 2019
    • Taylor Russell in Escape Room (2019)
      Escape Room
      6.4
      • Jason Walker
      • 2019

    Producer



    • Hard Medicine
      • executive producer
      • Released
      • TV Series
      • 2015



    • How Did They Build That? (2021)
      How Did They Build That?
      7.7
      TV Series
      • host
      • 2024
    • Sue Bird: In the Clutch (2024)
      Sue Bird: In the Clutch
      7.6
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • All the Single Ladies (2022)
      All the Single Ladies
      8.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2022–2023
    • Mamoudou Athie in Black Box (2020)
      Black Box
      6.2
      • executive producer
      • 2020
    • Behind Her Faith (2020)
      Behind Her Faith
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2020
    • Jeron Braxton in Daytime Noir (2019)
      Daytime Noir
      6.7
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2019
    • Hard Medicine (2015)
      Hard Medicine
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2017
    • Like Cotton Twines (2016)
      Like Cotton Twines
      7.8
      • co-producer
      • 2016
    • Twelve Steps (2015)
      Twelve Steps
      9.6
      Short
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Terrell Owens and Jay Ellis in The Black Bachelor (2014)
      The Black Bachelor
      7.7
      Short
      • producer
      • 2014

    Writer



    • Jeron Braxton in Daytime Noir (2019)
      Daytime Noir
      6.7
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 2019

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos48

    After 'Top Gun: Maverick' Flying Stunts, Can the Cast Return to "Normal" Life?
    Clip 3:24
    After 'Top Gun: Maverick' Flying Stunts, Can the Cast Return to "Normal" Life?
    Why 'Maverick' Could Have Been Titled 'Top Gun: More Sweat'
    Clip 3:55
    Why 'Maverick' Could Have Been Titled 'Top Gun: More Sweat'
    Why 'Maverick' Could Have Been Titled 'Top Gun: More Sweat'
    Clip 3:55
    Why 'Maverick' Could Have Been Titled 'Top Gun: More Sweat'
    Official Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:10
    Official Trailer #1
    Season 5 Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:55
    Season 5 Official Trailer
    Official Season 5 Teaser
    Trailer 0:48
    Official Season 5 Teaser
    Season 4 Trailer
    Trailer 2:04
    Season 4 Trailer

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Height
      • 6′ 3½″ (1.92 m)
    • Born
      • December 27, 1981
      • Sumter, South Carolina, USA
    • Spouse
      • Nina SenicarJuly 9, 2022 - present (2 children)
    • Children
        Noa Gray Ellis
    • Parents
        Wendell R. Ellis Sr.
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Article

    Self-verified on IMDbPro

    • Gender / Gender identity
      • Male

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      He was president of the student body government at Concordia University.

    FAQ

    Powered by Alexa
    • How old is Jay Ellis?
      43 years old
    • When was Jay Ellis born?
      December 27, 1981
    • Where was Jay Ellis born?
      Sumter, South Carolina, USA
    • What is Jay Ellis's birth name?
      Wendell Ellis Jr.
    • How tall is Jay Ellis?
      6 feet 4 inches, or 1.92 meters

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.