Leading man Devale Ellis stars on the #1 cable television drama series, Tyler Perry’s Sistas, as Zac and will also star in his very own Sistas spinoff show, Tyler Perry’s Zatima, and he has a recurring guest star on AMC’s forthcoming legal drama, 61st Street, which premieres Sunday, April 10. Sistas midseason premiere of season four is to return on Wednesday, June 29. Tyler Perry’s Zatima will be a 10-episode one-hour series that follows popular characters Zac (Ellis) and Fatima, played Crystal Renee’ Hayslett, as they navigate the ups and downs of their relationship, which will premiere in 2022.
If it feels as if Ellis is everywhere this year, that’s because he is: Ellis is not only starring on multiple TV series across cable and streaming, but Ellis is also the creator of The Ellises social sitcom on YouTube and Facebook, which has garnered over 600MM views, and the co-host of Webby award-winning podcast, Dead Ass with his beautiful wife Khadeen. Dead Ass is an iHeart radio podcast with over 10MM downloads and 3 sold out live shows. In 2020, Devale authored the #1 Amazon bestselling children’s book, The Ellises & The Time Machine: Why Do We Have to Say Black Lives Matter and he is currently working on a relationship book with his wife, Khadeen, with Penguin Random House.
A true definition of success, Brooklyn-born Ellis’ life off-screen is as exciting and dynamic as his public persona. Ellis is the caring husband to wife Khadeen and proud father of four boys. Ellis dedicates his free time to keeping physically fit, both in mind and body. Ellis spent a brief period in the NFL playing for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. Due to the high intensity of the NFL and the need to always be physically fit, he has learned to train himself to always be in the best shape, working out twice a day, 5-6 days a week. Ellis was even an NFL combine trainer and helps young recruits train for the 40-yard dash, which is an integral component of the combine each year. Ellis also intermittently fasts and keeps a regimented diet. Ellis not only trains to keep physically fit, but also trains for his acting, studying for two years with the late William Esper at his studio in New York.
He’s also dedicated his free time to helping young men in his hometown of Brooklyn to become collegiate athletes. He works with PS 272 in Brooklyn (and used to work with his former high school, Canarsie High School) to help provide mentors to the school, working hand-in-hand with the local United Way chapter. Ellis and his wife also work together with the St. Jude Foundation as they both have sickle cell disease in the family.