Jay Ellis Named Host Of Smithsonian’s "How Did They Build That?"

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Jay Ellis, famous for playing Lawrence on the HBO hit series Insecure and as Lt. Reuben Fitch in this year’s box office smash Top Gun: Maverick, has landed a new plum gig at the Smithsonian Channel. The 40-year-old actor was tapped as the new host of How Did They Build That? The series follows “radical architects, ingenious engineers and skilled builders” around the world whose projects are “so outrageous, they defy logic…and often even gravity.”

“I’m excited to host How Did They Build That? season two and bring the work of some of the world’s most innovative architects and engineers to the forefront,” said Ellis, per Deadline. “The series is captivating and eye-opening. Being able to hear first-hand accounts from the genius minds of these architects, and how they came up with and executed these remarkable designs is truly amazing and inspiring.”

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Ellis’s appointment is a marked shift for the show, which was formerly without a host. This season will also be increased to ten episodes, instead of the previous eight, it will still take viewers around the world. However, it will deepen its focus on American architecture this time around.

Places like the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., Seattle’s Evergreen Point 520 Floating Bridge, and NYC’s Hearst Tower are just a few of the impressive structure to be covered. Ellis will globetrot with show experts Nehemiah Mabry, Ellie Cosgrave, Corina Kwami, and Hayley Loren to speak with the minds behind these majestic manmade wonders.

How Did They Build That? returns for its second season in the U.S. on Sunday, July 10. Check out the trailer below to preview what’s in store.

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