Join us for the next Oak Park Speaker Series at the Guild Theater on August 19 for an exciting evening with Award Winning Actor Jay Ellis as he discusses his new book “Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?“. Get ready to be inspired by Jay’s journey in the entertainment industry and his latest venture into writing. Moderated by Michael Tubbs, former Mayor of Stockton, CA, this fireside chat promises to be a memorable experience filled with insights and stories from a talented individual. 

Born in Sumter, South Carolina, to a military family, Jay spent his childhood inventing new personas for every town he landed in. Too many to count. After college, he realized the NBA wasn’t good enough for him and he didn’t want to crush other players’ dreams as he dominated the league so he decided to take his one-man show to Hollywood, where he got his start on BET’s “The Game“.

Now an accomplished actor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Jay is best known for his role as Lawrence on HBO’s “Insecure“, for which he won an NAACP Image Award. He appeared alongside Tom Cruise, flying jets through the skies, in the Oscar-nominated film in “Top Gun: Maverick“. When he’s not on set filming he spends the majority of his days cleaning up the messes that his daughter’s imaginary friend “Jack” made. Karma.

In his book “Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?“, Jay takes us back to his childhood and adolescence in the late 80s and 90s, a rocky time of life made rockier by his military family’s constant moves from city to city. From Sacramento to Austin, Tulsa to Cleveland, and beyond, Jay’s status as a mischievous only child and perpetual new kid meant he had to rely on himself for both entertainment and companionship – and the result was the creation of Mikey, his imaginary friend.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear from Jay Ellis himself! Click here to get your ticket today.

Monday, August 19
5:00 PM – VIP Early Access
5:30 PM – General Admission Doors Open
6:00 PM – Program begins at Guild Theater
7:00 PM – Book Signing at Underground Books
7:00 PM – VIP Reception at Oak Park Brewing Co.