Jay Ellis Reveals the '90s Trend He'd Love to See Come Back — and the Emotional Connection He Has to It

Mar. 15, 2025

Jay Ellis.Photo:Raymond Hall/GC Images

Raymond Hall/GC Images

With so many ’90s trends resurfacing,Jay Ellis, 42, has a specific one he wishes would make a comeback: “Graffiti denim on denim.”

PEOPLE attended the event, which was held at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood, Calif. on Aug. 13.

Speaking about the trend, Ellis shared a sweet memory that explained why he was feeling so nostalgic. “I [can] never forget my aunt — being in Sacramento, California spending the summer with my grandparents — and my aunt got me this matching jacket and pants and she graffitied it for me and I wore it until it was so tight because it was just the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life,” he recalled. “So I will say that’s [what I’d bring back].”

Also on the roster of things to bring? ’80s and ’90s R&B.

Sure, Ellis conceded that “there’s some amazing music out there.” But he admits to missing songs such as Mint Condition’s “Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes),” Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk”, New Edition’s “If It Isn’t Love,” and more — all of which played a huge role in his life, as chronicled in his memoir.

Jay Ellis, with Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji.Robin L Marshall/Getty

Robin L Marshall/Getty

Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (Or Just Me?)is a lighthearted, albeit poignant trip down memory lane in which Ellis opens up about his childhood imaginary friend Mikey — whom he joked looked like a cross between Dwayne Wayne fromA Different Worldand Will Smith inThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

“[This] is my story, the story I’ve been wanting to tell for a long time without even knowing it,” Ellispreviously told PEOPLE. “I hope it finds readers who can relate, whether their guiding inner voice was an imaginary friend or not.”

“You have to think of it in the context of a kid, right? Because anything is possible in the child’s mind,” he said, during their conversation.

Issa Rae and Jay Ellis.Robin L Marshall/Getty

“That’s the thing, I talk about this in the book, we don’t understand the normalities of the world or the world that we live in, we are experiencing it all brand new for the first time,” he added. “And so I think that my childhood mind was allowed to wander and kind of create whatever it wanted.”

He continued, “It was called out, at a certain point, but I don’t think it’s until it was called out — but then I was also starting to grow up a little bit or the world started to become more real — where I realized, ‘Oh, it’s just me.’ "

Jay Ellis performing on stage.Robin L Marshall/Getty

Still, having his imaginary friend Mikey has made Ellis a more thoughtful parent. Now a father of two, the actor — who shares Nora Grace, 4, and Noa Gray, 1 month, with wifeNina Senicar— revealed he’s passed on his overactive imagination to his toddler daughter.

“My daughter actually has an imaginary friend named Jack, and she has 20 imaginary cousins,” he joked. “She does not know all of their names, but if you ask her how many, she’s like, ‘Oh, 20.’ "

As for how they’re managing their “full house,” Ellis said they’ve embraced their daughter’s pal. “We just lean into it and let her have her imaginary friend.”

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Ellis first came scene playing Bryce “Blue” Westbrook on the BET showThe Game. In 2022, he starred in the blockbusterTop Gun: MaverickalongsideTom Cruise.

Fans would also recognize him as Lawrence, the boyfriend to Rae’s character on HBO’sInsecure.Ellis was awarded the NAACP Image Award for that role.

His 2024 projects include the thriller and comedy filmFreaky Tales, which also starsPedro Pascal.

Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?was released on July 30 and is available for purchase now.

source: people.com