Jay Ellis Invites Tom Cruise to Appear in The Rookie Spinoff
Jay Ellis is aiming high regarding potential guest stars for the The Rookie: North spinoff, starting with his Top Gun co-star Tom Cruise.
“I would love to have Tom come join us on The Rookie: North,” Ellis, 44, told Us exclusively while promoting his new partnership with Citibank and American Airlines. “I’m just putting it out there.”
Ellis went on to humorously joke about the idea, saying, “‘Tom, [you should join], wherever you might be.’ [He’s probably parachuting somewhere right now or doing some motorcycle stunt over a cliff.]”
But that wasn’t all he envisioned.
“I’d love to have some of my co-stars make guest appearances. My Top Gun: Maverick co-stars, as well as friends from Insecure or Running Point, and even folks from All Her Fault,” Ellis added. “It would be a blast to have them drop in for an episode or two. I’ll be reaching out to all of them. Expect text messages followed by phone calls, and I’ll even go through their agents.”
Before landing his role on The Rookie: North, Ellis gained fame for his role in Insecure. He has also appeared in noteworthy television series such as Running Point, All Her Fault, and Not Suitable for Work. On the big screen, he portrayed Lieutenant Reuben “Payback” Fitch in Top Gun: Maverick alongside Cruise.
“You see Tom in movies, interviews, and the stunts he performs. Then, when you actually get to work with him, he becomes a mentor, a friend, a co-star, and a producer,” Ellis reminisced. “You get the full experience of Tom, which is incredible.”
Ellis acknowledged Cruise, 64, for imparting some important lessons.
“He’s genuinely generous and caring. One of my cherished takeaways — which I now incorporate — is how he would walk in each morning, asking, ‘Hey, how’s your day? What can I do today to help make your job easier?’” he told Us. “That’s a form of leadership that isn’t commonly taught.”
Ellis also honed some on-screen skills, stating, “You can’t share scenes with Tom Cruise and not attempt your own stunts. He sets such a high standard, so you have to follow suit [as I did for The Rookie: North].”
While Ellis didn’t provide major updates regarding Top Gun 3, he expressed enthusiasm for what the future holds.
“I hope they name it Top Gun: Payback. There’s already a script. We know they’re actively trying to finalize things,” he teased. “I’ve been very fortunate in my career to collaborate with creatives who refuse to rush things. They let the story and characters develop fully — properly baked — to ensure everything feels right.”
He continued, “This is a situation where it took Tom years to create Top Gun: Maverick. We must honor that process and understand that there’s a method to it. This creative team will respect that and ensure everything is executed properly.”
Ellis isn’t just sitting around waiting for Top Gun 3. He’s actively working on The Rookie: North and is also involved with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard.
“I hail from an aviation family. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents served in the Air Force. My father was in the Air Force before joining American Airlines, where he has worked for 30 years. My uncle also spent over 30 years with American Airlines,” Ellis shared. “Travel has been part of my family legacy for a long time. We all share a passion for adventure and the desire to hop on a plane and explore.”
Ellis described the collaboration as “a dream,” adding, “We get to integrate our passions — or at least my passions — with these experiences and cultures, moments, delicious food, and breathtaking landscapes. It’s also incredibly comfortable, which is just fantastic.”
He further stated, “The Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard allows me to travel comfortably, which brings me immense joy. There are plenty of perks and miles, which makes me very happy.”
