Actor/Producer Jay Ellis from BET's THE GAME and HBO's INSECURE!!!

New Podcast with Actor Jay Ellis! In this installation of "Kahnversations," we interview Jay Ellis. Jay is a charismatic television and film actor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He can currently be seen as one of the stars of HBO’s new comedy series INSECURE, alongside Issa Rae. Ellis plays Lawrence, Issa’s depressed and unemployed boyfriend, who has been getting his act together for four years.

Previously, Jay starred on BET’s hit series THE GAME, which ended after its 9th season. He portrayed Bryce ‘Blue’ Westbrook, the highly educated, first round wide receiver draft pick from Stanford University in the series that follows professional athletes, agents and managers as they navigate their way through fame, money and betrayal. Recently, Ellis was featured on the second season of the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME series MASTERS OF SEX with Michael Sheen.

Born in Fort Sumter, South Carolina, Ellis spent the majority of his childhood traveling with his military family. His father completed over 20 years of service in the Air Force while his mother was an accomplished finance executive and instilled in her son the importance of community service and education at an early age.

Ellis attended Concordia University, where he played basketball and held the position of student body president. He interned briefly with the Portland Trailblazers and also joined AmeriCorps to provide care and resources to disadvantaged citizens in Portland. He then traveled the world as a model and was afforded the opportunity to live in such exotic territories as Milan, Tokyo, Sidney and London, appearing in campaigns for Abercrombie and Fitch, Nike and Adidas, to name a few.

In 2007, Ellis made the decision to move to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting and worked tirelessly at perfecting his craft, taking classes day and night. His debut feature role came in the Elizabeth Banks directed, star studded comedy MOVIE 43, starring alongside Terrence Howard. Ellis has also appeared in numerous primetime television series including GRACE AND FRANKIE, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, GREY’S ANATOMY and NCIS.

When not in front of the camera, he enjoys cooking, being outdoors, boxing, traveling and shooting photography. Ellis is an ambassador of amfAR and is also an active volunteer at Inside Out Writers, an organization that teaches creative writing classes in Los Angeles County Juvenile Detention Centers.

Ellis can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat (@JayREllis) and also has a photography Instagram account (@theworldaroundje).

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There are so many inspiring podcasts with fabulous stars out there. But their careers feel light years away from ours, don’t they? Wouldn’t it be great to hear from the guy who just booked his first pilot? Or the kid finally doing a studio pic after a bunch of low budget indies? Or the woman who’s been a series regular a few times but is only now becoming a name? What about the guy who’s been on a show for years and you know his face but what’shisnameagain? Or that actress who is now a freakin’ showrunner???? How’d THEY do it, right? How did they transition from relative obscurity, bartending and bottle service, to buying that house in Brentwood? We’re producing “Kahnversations,” a podcast that provides access to THOSE people -- your immediate predecessors -- so that you can learn from them while their battle scars are still fresh.

In “Kahnversations,” our own Ryan Bailey interviews some of Lesly Kahn & Company’s working actors, directors, and writers in order to learn how they got started in Hollywood, the challenges and hurdles they faced, and how they overcame the odds. (They also dish out some crazy stories!) Listen in and enjoy as these entertainers speak candidly about their paths, processes, and experiences. You might even hear a bit about how Lesly and the Kahnstitute have influenced and shaped their careers.