Jay Anthony White's early life was marked by his upbringing on Detroit's Westside, where he resided in a modest two-family flat on West Grand Blvd, conveniently situated next door to the renowned Motown recording studio, Hitsville U.S.A.
As a young writer, Jay began his career in the winter of 2002, pouring his creativity into crafting stand-up comedy routines, which he spent two years honing by opening shows for notable acts such as Mike Bonner, Sheryl Underwood, Tony Roberts, and many others.
Fast-forward to 2006, when Jay wrote and produced his first full-feature film, Project 313, which made its debut at the prestigious Pan African Film Festival and was subsequently distributed nationally through Universal Home video.
In the fall of 2007, Jay made the bold decision to relocate to Los Angeles, where he attended the American Black Film Festival and connected with influential industry professionals, including actor/director Bill Duke, producers, managers, and his current attorney Eric Feig.
This pivotal move led to a series of opportunities, including the optioning and production of Jay's screenplay, Pawn, which garnered both critical and commercial success. The film boasts an impressive cast, featuring Forest Whitaker, Ray Liotta, Nikki Reed, Stephen Lang, Michael Chiklis, Common, and Sean Faris, and was directed by David Armstrong, the acclaimed DP of the Saw series 1-5.
