As "Top Gun: Maverick" takes the mantle as the highest-grossing movie of 2022, hitting $400 million after its release, actor Jay Ellis joined Cheddar News to talk about the hit film and his time working with the star-studded cast led by superstar Tom Cruise. "Working with Tom, it's like a master class, you know? You learn so much. You learn about the craft," he said. Ellis also discussed his time on the hit show "Insecure" and moving on from his character, Lawrence Walker.

Between Bells

Jay Ellis on Taking to the Skies With Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Hello everyone welcome back to Between Bells, Top Gun Maverick has been dominating the box office, flying past expectations thus far, the sequel starring Tom Cruise Miles Teller, jennifer Connelly and a lot of other people, including our next guest cheddar, Shannon Lanier had a chance to sit down with jay Ellis who plays payback and Top Gun Maverick to discuss being involved in this year's biggest summer blockbuster. Take a look, you know, I feel like I've been waiting for this moment all my life uh and definitely all my career and now it's finally here and I get to do it with this film that is iconic and other great legacy and obviously with one of the greatest movie stars ever in Tom Cruise This uh I feel like a kid living his dream. Alright, well what was it like working with Tom Cruise? And did it give you any industry advice or did you learn anything from him working with tom and it's like a master class, you know, you learn so much, you learn about the craft obviously uh you're learning about producing and about filmmaking and character and story and he's giving you all these like tidbits and he's telling you stories from his career and all these moments that shifted things for him. It is absolutely, you know, again, you feel like you're like some acting school when you were time and I literally text with him about stuff which is wild. He's given all of us different tips and advice in terms of meetings and scripts and pitches and framing character and taking care of our bodies and our minds, like it's been really, really amazing to have him as a, as a friend, as a mentor, as a co star. Yeah, that's an awesome friend of having, it seems like you guys really created like a bro hood down there on the film, just like everybody just looks like they melt together during, you know what we saw. Yeah, this was this was really unique man, this was a bunch of actors who had never met each other before and all of a sudden we were thrown in this situation where we were learning this training and figuring out how to fly and and our our characters were going through a similar thing, you know, and figuring out their training and it really just brought us all together and I feel like I got friends for life. I think we all feel that way. We're all Very, very close. We text a ton wishing happy birthdays and congrats on projects and you know, send memes to each other and everything else. That's awesome. That's awesome. But it was a long way coming cause you guys actually started filming top come in 2018, how hard was it for you to wait to tell everybody about it to actually see it. Yeah, you know, it is crazy that it's been that long. Um this was one of those things, I think every single time it was delayed, I mean we all would end up on like a phone call or a text chain together. But you know, I think we we had this thing and we knew we could talk about it and it did drive us a little crazy. But I think the big thing was we always wanted to see it on the big screen and we wanted, you know, as many people in the world possible to go see this thing because that is how you should watch this film is up on a big screen and with like an amazing sound system and in a communal experience because this film is one that you know, when you're sitting next to someone or in a group of people, everyone is laughing or clapping or crying. Yeah, I spent for breath all at the same time. And so as as much as that struggle of waiting hurt, it was well worth it to be here today. Oh, I can't agree with you as well. Worth the delay. But it was also perfect timing for you because you know, it kept you in the headlines right after your hit HBO show insecure just ended after five seasons, were you ready to let Lawrence go and stop playing that character and say goodbye to the whole family there. You know, I I don't think we were ready to say goodbye to the family and I don't think we really have uh we all still keep in contact. We we as another group chat in mind and we text nonstop and we try to see each other when we're all uh in town and not working, but you know, it was time to let these characters kind of ride off into the sunset. They gave us some some great memories and some great entertainment and some great lessons learned in life. But you know, they, they lived how they were supposed to live. And I think we really saw the full extent of where their story was, at least for this time in their life. And really saw the, their story and it gave us viewers and fans all those same feelings. We loved it. We weren't ready for it to go. But we know sometimes you got to move on, but why do you think insecure, resonated with audiences so well and became so loved. You know, man, I really think it comes down to just the authenticity and the writing right there, you know, as as specific and um nuanced as this story was between these two black women and their friendship. Uh, and all the characters that filled their lives. There was also a universality in in all of it. And I think we all could look at some of those characters and say, oh I'm a Lawrence, I'm an Ihsa, I'm even, or I'm dating a Lawrence or an Ihsa excuse me or a molly. Um, and I think like that really resonates with folks, you know, when you, when you stay true to a voice into a character, uh and and never waver from the storytelling and the truth, I think that really resonates with folks and these were folks who were messy and vulnerable, you know, at the same time, you know, they were trying to come into their own and and trying to grow up and be adults if you will and step into that life and see what it was like, and I think so many of us can relate to that, but you know, I gotta ask, you also wear several hats, not only are you a father and actor, a director, you do so much. So what would you say is next for you in your career? Is there anything that you still want to do or something? The pipeline man. Uh you know, I think about, I I just love acting, man, I love storytelling in every form, you know, I definitely, I got another movie that's coming out at the end of this year called somebody I used to know uh directed by Dave franco, he and Alison brie co wrote it together, Kirstie Clements stars Meet Kirsty and Allison, absolutely amazing cast. Um I popped in a remake of History of the World, Part Two, that I Barinholtz, wanda Sykes and Nick Kroll did, that was a lot of fun. Uh I hosted a season of how they build that for Smithsonian, that was something I never saw myself doing, but I love architecture and I had an amazing time doing it and I'm finishing a book, man that will publish next april and next May and if that's not enough, you got to also check out his world around j instagram where he's doing photography because that's amazing and beautiful work as well. But I got to now play a game with you before you leave, I'm gonna play a little game called insecure or Top Gun. So I'm going to name a few topics and you will say how you feel about those topics if you are insecure or Top Gun, like the Top Top Dog, you got it under control. All right, alright, so flying a jet in real life? Oh, I'm gonna go Top Gun really? I was like, I was going to be insecure about that really. Tom trained us man. We did a lot of flight training, we did 40 plus hours of flight training for this movie. Here's what I say, I can keep us in the air, I might not be able to, but I can make sure we circle around for a little bit. Okay, good enough, good enough. Alright, auditioning for new roles. Oh man, I haven't had the audition so long. I've been fortunate enough, you know, I've been fortunate, but I feel Top Gun on that man. I've always loved auditioning, it's because it's a chance to perform live in front of people and you truly get to just leave it in the room and then walk out. Alright, cool. Alright. Being an awesome dad. Oh man insecure because you never can really get it right right. No matter how much you try, it's like, am I getting this right? Never man. I had to, I had to bribe my kid with a popsicle to put her shoes on today. I mean, come on, I'm not mad at you. So you gotta do what you gotta do? Okay, what about this one? Work life balance are you top gun or insecure? Um, I work a lot. I work a lot. I try to, but I live a lot too. I will say that I definitely have found a work life balance. So, uh, I feel like I'm, I feel like I'm winning in that one. So I'm gonna go with Top Gun. Okay, now this may be the most important yet, are you ready to tell us if you're insecure or top gun? This question is we want to know about your mommy daddy alone time skills trying to claim it in a classy way. Right. I feel very payback on that one. I feel very, you know what I mean? I feel very payback on. Yeah. What an amazing game. Also, only Shannon Lanier could ask that question with yes and do so incredibly well within our thanks. Of course, the actor J Ellis there