“I’m Going to Be a Legend”: Dale Elliott Talks His Multifaceted Rise
- Kobe K. Bryan
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Exclusive: Jamaican comedian and actor Dale Elliott dives into his success story, Son of an Immigrant tour, inspirations, challenges, working with close friend and iconic producer Di Genius, and declares he will be a legend: "It’s no maybe or probably — it’s going to happen."
Dale Elliott, From a two-bedroom home shared with 14 people to making thousands laugh around the world
From bringing relatable laughs through phone screens to delivering heartfelt performances on the big screen, Dale Elliott—once known as "Ellie the Viner"—has grown into one of Jamaica’s most promising comedic storytellers.
Dale’s inspiring success story — from growing up in a two-bedroom home with 14 people in Jamaica, to starring in the critically acclaimed Netflix film Sprinter, to self-financing two sold-out tours and now joining forces with Live Nation.
Known for infusing humor into tales from his Jamaican upbringing, Elliott has built a loyal following across platforms and is now preparing to embark on his worldwide stand-up tour, “Son of an Immigrant”, starting on June 12 in Paris. The tour will include stops in Berlin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels, and several UK cities, including Dublin, London, and more.
“What I am looking forward to is what I've always been doing - putting smiles on people’s faces, giving them a good experience. A lot of people are homesick, it’s not like when you’re in Jamaica,” Elliott told Kaboom Magazine in an exclusive interview.
His fanbase continues to grow, fueled by viral videos and now a podcast, which he describes as “an incentive to come and see me [perform stand-up].” For Elliott, every platform—from YouTube to music—is a way to connect with the masses. “Everything is about marketing, branding, presentation… Don't put yourself in a box,” he said.
At the heart of Dale’s story is resilience. Born and raised in a two-bedroom home with 14 people, he was separated from his mother at age five when she emigrated to the UK. Their emotional reunion 16 years later—at the London premiere of Sprinter, his acting debut—was captured on video and watched by thousands.
“Everything is about marketing, branding, presentation… Don't put yourself in a box”
Sprinter, directed by Storm Saulter and executively produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, follows a young Jamaican track star striving to reunite with his mother. Elliott landed the lead role thanks to his viral skits—particularly one involving running. “Storm would always watch my skits,” he said. Still, Elliott admitted he didn’t grasp the magnitude of the opportunity at first. After some hesitation, Storm called him just 30 minutes after their meeting and gave him the role.
To prepare, Dale returned to track training and worked with an acting coach to fully embody the character Akeem Sharp. Despite the film’s critical acclaim, he’s only watched it once. “I’ve told myself that until I have a catalog of more work, then I will just not look at it.”
While Dale is now focused on stand-up comedy, his journey began in the early 2010s when Jamaican skit creators like Trabass Entertainment, YaadBwoys, and Kevin2Crazy pioneered the local scene. “Trabass was one of the first persons I met that was doing ‘Internet’,” Dale recalled, crediting him and others for influencing his visual storytelling, while stage legends like Oliver Samuels shaped his performance style.
Dale’s influences stretch beyond the Caribbean, citing Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, and Trevor Noah among others. “Even the crackhead on the side of the road… the electrician, the plumber, everybody” plays a role in his observational comedy.
When asked if there was a defining moment when he realized his skits open doors for bigger opportunities, “I wouldn’t really say there was a defining moment, it was more about when I moved to the US from Jamaica and I’m in that stage where I just finished shooting sprinter - in the middle of the pandemic, and I’m just trying to make videos [again] cause the pandemic brought back my love for skits & comedy.”
Most recently, Elliott released his debut single “Lover Boy,” blending smooth melodies with his signature comedic flair. “To come up with the lyrics, every two seconds I wanted it to be funny,” he shared, highlighting his desire to infuse personality into everything he creates. Produced by his close friend, legendary Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, the track shows another layer of Dale’s creative range.
“Di Genius is my good friend, where we’ve been friends for couple years now - we talk on the phone, we go out, link up. There were a lot of things that were happening behind the scenes, and I was there when they were happening.”
For the song, “It was just a fun idea - I am a creative person, so anything I feel like I want to do I’m going to do it. And at the time I just felt like I wanted to make a song. Now the reason why I insisted on making a video was because I am a comedian. So I’m going to make a song that I find fun and I just don’t want anyone to put me in a box.”
Now 29, Elliott has spent over a decade refining his voice. “People think I’m around 35,” he jokes. “It’s an issue balancing if it’s not your job. If it’s your job, you have to balance it—everything is scheduling.”
“You think it’s easy to walk in front of over a thousand people and make them laugh?... When you’re a comedian, you have to be multi-talented… and you can”
As he prepares for what could be his biggest tour yet, Dale remains grounded in his purpose: “A lot of times we just want to have that experience of home, and I’m making sure I’m bringing that to people.”
On what makes comedy powerful, he said, “You think it’s easy to walk in front of over a thousand people and make them laugh?... When you’re a comedian, you have to be multi-talented… and you can.”
With more films in the pipeline and an unshakeable belief in his destiny, Dale declares, “I’m going to be a legend… It’s no maybe or probably, it’s going to happen.”
