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

With so many ’90s trends making a comeback, Jay Ellis, 42, has one in particular he wants to make a comeback: “Denim with graffiti on denim.”

The actor opened up about the fashion look he missed so much during a conversation with former co-star and friend Issa Rae hosted by Malik Books. It was all in celebration of Ellis’ new memoir, Did everyone have an imaginary friend (or just me)?, out now.

PEOPLE attended the event held at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood, California on August 13th.

Speaking about the trend, Ellis shared a sweet memory that explained why he feels so nostalgic. “I [can] never forget my aunt—I was in Sacramento, California spending the summer with my grandparents—and my aunt bought me this matching jacket and pants and she graffitied it on me and I wore it until it got so tight because it was the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” he recalled. “Well I’ll say it is [what I’d bring back].”

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Also on the to-go list? 80s and 90s R&B.

Of course, Ellis admitted that “there’s some amazing music out there.” But he admits he missed songs like 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 written in his memoirs.

Jay Ellis, with Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji.

Robin L Marshall/Getty

Has everyone had an imaginary friend (or just me?) is a light-hearted if heartwarming trip down memory lane in which Ellis talks about his imaginary childhood friend Mikey – who he joked looks like a cross between Dwayne Wayne from A different world and Will Smith inside The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

“[This] is my story, a story I’ve wanted to tell for a long time without even knowing it,” Ellis previously told PEOPLE. “I hope it finds readers who can relate, regardless of whether their inner voice was imaginary friend or not. “

And while there is freedom in telling his story, the idea of ​​an imaginary friend can be quite unusual for some. When asked by Rae on Tuesday how he knew he wasn’t “crazy,” Ellis rationalized it by explaining that as children we don’t have the limited mindset we sometimes have as adults.

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

Issa Rae and Jay Ellis.

Robin L Marshall/Getty

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“That’s the point, I talk about it in the book, we don’t understand the normality of the world or the world we live in, we’re experiencing it all completely new for the first time,” he added. “And so I think 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 was until it was called out — but then I also started to grow up a little bit or the world started to get more real — that I realized, ‘Oh, it’s just me.’ ”

Jay Ellis performs on stage.

Robin L Marshall/Getty

However, Ellis has become a more attentive parent because of his imaginary friend Mikey. Now a father of two, the actor — who shares Nora Grace, 4, and Noa Gray, 1 month, with wife Nina Seničar — has revealed he’s passed on his overactive imagination to his young daughter.

“My daughter actually has an imaginary friend named Jack, and she has 20 imaginary cousins,” he joked. “She doesn’t know all their names, but if you ask her how many, she’ll be like, ‘Oh, 20.’ ”

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

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Ellis first appeared in the scene playing Bryce “Blue” Westbrook on the BET show Game. In 2022, he starred in a blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise.

Fans would also recognize him as Lawrence, the boyfriend of Rae’s character on HBO Uncertain. Ellis received an NAACP Image Award for the role.

His 2024 projects include thrillers and comedies Freaky Taleswhich also stars Pedro Pascal.

Has everyone had an imaginary friend (or is it just me)? it was released on July 30th and is now available for purchase.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education