Jay Ellis
Biography
Wendell Ramone Jay Ellis Jr. is an American actor born on December 27, 1981, in Sumter, South Carolina. He began his career with modeling before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting. In 2013, he secured his first major role on the BET series The Game. He subsequently joined the cast of the HBO series Insecure, which premiered in 2016. Ellis has 54 known acting credits according to available biographical records.
Career overview
Wendell Ramone Jay Ellis Jr. is an American actor born on December 27, 1981, in Sumter, South Carolina. Before beginning his acting career, he started out with modeling. After moving to Los Angeles, he transitioned into acting and pursued his career in the entertainment industry.
In 2013, Ellis received his first major role when he joined the cast of the BET television series The Game. Following this milestone, he secured another prominent television role in 2015 by joining the cast of the HBO series Insecure, which officially premiered the following year in 2016.
Throughout his career in the entertainment industry, Ellis has accumulated fifty-four known acting credits according to his professional database records. His work encompasses television projects that have established his presence on both cable and premium networks, marking significant milestones in his professional trajectory from his initial beginnings in modeling to recognized television roles.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
57 titles- Not Suitable for Work (2026) as Bill Gibson
- All Her Fault (2025) as Colin Dobbs
- Running Point (2025) as Jay Brown
- Freaky Tales (2025) as Sleepy Floyd
- The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (2024) as (voice)
- The Gutter (2024) as Lil Patience
- History of the World: Part II (2023) as Jesus
- Somebody I Used to Know (2023) as Sean
- The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022)
- The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022) as Self
- Sherri (2022) as Self - Guest
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022) as Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
- How Did They Build That? (2021) as Self - Host
- Insecure: The End (2021) as Self
- Mrs. America (2020) as Franklin Thomas
- Bottomless Brunch at Colman's (2020) as Self
- Black Box (2020) Co-Executive Producer
- Behind Her Faith (2020) Producer
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Desus & Mero (2019) as Self - Illustrious Guest
- A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019) as Wise Man
- Escape Room (2019) as Jason Walker
- Could You Survive The Movies? (2019) as Self
- Thirsty (2019) as Young Man
- In a Relationship (2018) as Dexter
- A Boy. A Girl. A Dream (2018)
- The Last Days of TJ Staggs (2018) as Executive
- Insecure (2016) as Lawrence
- Insecure (2016) Director
- Like Cotton Twines (2016) as Micha Brown
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest
- Grace and Frankie (2015) as Dan
- Breaking Through (2015) as Quinn
- November Rule (2015) as James Avedon
- My Favorite Five (2015) as Jonathan Colburn
- Masters of Sex (2013) as Dr. Cyril Franklin
- Movie 43 (2013) as Lucious (segment "Victory's Glory")
- Dear Secret Santa (2013) as Brad
- Hart of Dixie (2011) as Resident
- Triple Standard (2010) as Lewis
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) as Naval Flight Officer Randall Baker
- iCarly (2007) as Friend #1
- The Game (2006) as Bryce Westbrook
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as DJ
- How I Met Your Mother (2005) as Sound Guy
- Related (2005) as College Student
- NCIS (2003) as Tommy Hill
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- The Bachelorette (2003) as Self
- MTV Movie & TV Awards (1992) as Self - Presenter
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- The Rookie: North as Alex Holland
- The Rookie: North Producer
- Shoot as Hank Banks/Frank Banks
- Shoot Producer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jay Ellis best known for?
Jay Ellis is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Not Suitable for Work (2026), All Her Fault (2025), Running Point (2025), Freaky Tales (2025).
When and where was Jay Ellis born?
Jay Ellis was born on December 27, 1981 in Sumter, South Carolina, USA.
How many credits does Jay Ellis have?
Jay Ellis has accumulated over 57 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1944 to 2026.
What is Jay Ellis's background in cinema and television?
Wendell Ramone Jay Ellis Jr. is an American actor born on December 27, 1981, in Sumter, South Carolina. He began his career with modeling before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting. In 2013, he secured his first major role on the BET series The Game. He subsequently joined the cast of the HBO series Insecure, wh...