In The Latest Entertainment News Of Jay Ellis
HBO’s Insecure alum Jay Ellis continues to flex his skills in film, taking on a wildly unexpected role in Freaky Tales, the latest genre-bending project from directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. In this surreal tribute to 1980s Oakland, Ellis plays a fictionalized version of former NBA All-Star Sleepy Floyd—not as a basketball legend but as a katana-wielding warrior ready to defend his city.
In a newly released clip, we see a calm and composed Floyd quietly wrap up a phone call and mention heading to bed. But his next move tells a different story. Unlocking a secret chamber filled with Japanese relics and an impressive collection of blades, Floyd meditates before gearing up for battle. As Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” blares, he transforms into a full-on action hero, stepping into the night with a Warriors jacket, a deadly arsenal, and a mission that’s anything but ordinary.
Ellis’s version of Floyd is just one thread in the movie’s intricate web of characters. Freaky Tales interweaves four distinct yet connected narratives: a shady police officer, a rap duo climbing the ranks, a desperate heist, and a street war between punks and neo-Nazis—all grounded in the cultural and political pulse of 1980s Oakland. The film combines action, fantasy, and nostalgia with a vibrant ensemble cast including Pedro Pascal, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Ben Mendelsohn, Ji-young Yoo, Jack Champion, Kier Gilchrist, Tom Hanks, and the late Angus Cloud.
At its core, Freaky Tales is a cinematic fever dream—a love letter to a city’s history, its music, and the wild imagination of youth.
Check out the clip below:
