Why The Actor In The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Commercial Looks So Familiar

Car commercials succeed based on how they convey how a vehicle can make you feel. In the case of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder, its commercial tries its darndest to tout just how exciting and adventurous life can be with the SUV. The clip begins with a serene shot of a river running through a forest, before introducing us to the protagonist, who asks, "Want to go somewhere amazing?" We then see the Pathfinder zooming through a snowy road as "Run For Your Life" by the Seige starts to play in the background.

Before highlighting just how beautiful the location is, the man behind the wheel then takes the vehicle to another forest, this time without snow. "Not this either," he exclaims, transporting viewers to an empty desert filled with dunes. The journey isn't over yet, as we're taken to another location, where the driver says, "Finding the next stepping place isn't the point — with a Nissan Pathfinder, the search is the adventure." 

The actor in the vehicle is Jay Ellis, one of Hollywood's rising stars, and his charismatic performance in the Pathfinder commercial makes him the perfect pitchman for Nissan's latest ad campaign. Taking a deep dive into Ellis' filmography will reveal how varied it is, packed with horror-thrillers, comedic roles, and a brilliant performance in one of 2021's best films.

In the early 2010s, Jay Ellis appeared in the maligned anthology comedy film "Movie 43" and lent his talents to television programs like "How I Met Your Mother" and "Grey's Anatomy." His first major starring cinematic role, however, was as businessman Jason Walker in the criminally underrated horror flick "Escape Room." A PG-13-like take on the "Saw" formula, the 2019 film focuses on individuals who find themselves stuck in various nefarious escape rooms. 

The project, which also stars Taylor Russell, emerged as a box-office success, grossing over $150 million worldwide. Russell reprised her role for the 2021 sequel "Tournament of Champions," which didn't fare as well financially.

For Ellis, playing Walker was a surprising challenge as he had to channel the character's inner darkness. Those who have seen "Escape Room" will know that Walker's cool playboy image is a facade that's quickly wiped away as soon as the games commence. "But then, as we get deeper into the movie and we get into some of the backstory, you start to see there's a darker side similar to Patrick Bateman in 'American Psycho,'" Ellis told Screen Rant. Based on the fate that Ellis' character meets in "Escape Room," it's fair to say that things don't always work out for the Patrick Batemans of the world. 

"Insecure" stands out as one of HBO's most prominent offerings from the 2010s. Co-created by and starring Issa Rae, the series highlights the modern-day experiences of Black women. An Emmy juggernaut with over a dozen nominations, "Insecure" is a must-watch, and with just over 40 episodes, it's a respectable week-day binge to keep fans of Rae occupied. In "Insecure," Jay Ellis plays Lawrence Walker, Issa's boyfriend who has trouble securing a job after his start-up goes kaboom. Ellis appears as Lawrence throughout the show's five seasons, making him a key part of Issa's odyssey through modern-day America. 

"Insecure" is particularly important to Ellis as the actor also directed an episode of the comedy series. With much of Ellis' professional career spent playing Lawrence, it was interesting saying goodbye to the complicated character, who often was at odds with the actor's moral compass. "I feel so fortunate to have experienced this journey with this character and with these folks, but in terms of the character, I feel like there's so much introspection," Ellis told GQ, before discussing how it was the right time to bid adieu to Lawrence. 

Would Ellis return to the world of "Insecure," which wrapped up in 2021? "When the time is right, if I'm asked back ... one hundred percent I'd go play Lawrence every day," the actor told E! News. While the actor is down to breathe life into Lawrence once again, he's leaving it up to Rae to figure out a reunion. "She can give you that answer. If I tell you yes, then she's going to call me tomorrow and I'm going to be in a lot of trouble," he said.

Jay Ellis' clout has grown since he appeared on "Insecure." The most notable gig he's taken on since the series wrapped up was the Tom Cruise-starring "Top Gun: Maverick," which helped him further increase his profile. In the long-gestating sequel to Tony Scott's 1986 aerial classic, Ellis plays Reuben "Payback" Fitch, one of the pilots handpicked by Maverick to lead the final mission. "Maverick" emerged as a juggernaut at the box office, grossing over $1.4 billion in 2022. The picture received half a dozen Oscar nods, making it one of the most celebrated films of that year. 

For Ellis, appearing in "Maverick" was a major career move, but also an opportunity to learn from one of cinema's greatest stars in Cruise. While chatting with Insider, Ellis opened up about how important it was to learn from the creative maverick. "We would be in the middle of shooting 'Top Gun' and [Cruise] would talk about how he saw a scene last night in a movie he watched and described it in insane detail," he explained. "You realize he's in the middle of making 'Top Gun' but he's taking time every night to be a student and watch films. That is something that I've carried with me." 

Since appearing as Payback, Ellis has starred in the Dave Franco-directed romantic comedy "Somebody I Used to Know" and as Jesus Christ in Mel Brooks' "History of the World, Part II."