Actor and director Jay Ellis joins Kate and Franklin for some real talk. Jay opens up about starring in Top Gun: Maverick and how becoming a father has shifted his perspective on life and work. He also reflects on his iconic role as Lawrence in Insecure—including some truly wild fan encounters—and takes us behind the scenes of his directorial debut on the show. The trio covers career milestones, Mel Brooks, and the magic of storytelling. Plus, in one of the most unexpected turns, Jay shares how Spaceballs (yes, Spaceballs) first made him fall in love with acting.

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This episode was originally published in 2020, behind a paywall. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+Insecure: https://www.hbo.com/insecure 

+Top Gun: https://shadowandact.com/new-top-gun-maverick-trailer-shows-at-jay-ellis-in-tom-cruise-sequel