After initially being picked out of obscurity from over 1000 teenagers at an open call casting in Brisbane, Ilai made his television and acting debut in 2011 on Fox8's Hugely successful drama SLiDE. In which he ​ ​ played the epitome of cool as the character (Jamie) acting alongside Brenton Thwaites (The Giver). The ​ ​ ​ ​ show aired both in Australia and internationally later being nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award for Best Kids Series.

Not long after Ilai embarked solo with a move to scoring roles on ABC's The Code and landmark ​ ​ ​ ​ series Redfern Now supporting a stellar cast of Australia's finest young and upcoming talent with the likes ​ ​ of Miranda Tapsell (Sapphires). His breakthrough role was Open Slather where he truly cut his teeth in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ television joining a stellar ensemble cast of fresh faced newcomers as well as iconic comedy giants of Aussie TV.

The Comedy Channel sketch show, Slather gave Ilai the rare opportunity to write and perform original ​ ​ characters alongside beloved household names like; , Hamish Blake, Stephen Curry, ​ Gina Riley, , Shane Jacobson. The Foxtel series aired on local screens to great success ​ marking Foxtel’s biggest Comedy premier to date on subscription television and also gave Ilai the privilege to meet and work with American sketch idols Bill Hader (SNL) and Amy Schumer (Amy Schumer ​ Show.)

Next Ilai appeared in home state Queensland’s popular ABC series Harrow guest starring as Billie ​ ​ Radbourne alongside Ioan Gruffudd for Season 1. Airing both locally on ABC and internationally for ABC ​ ​ Studios (US).

As well as television, Ilai has performed extensively in a mix of theatre and short films that have appeared at many Australian/International Film festivals; MEAT Dir; Sunday Gullifer, Julia Dir; Brodie Roca, ​ ​ ​ ​ Blackbuster Dir; Sio Tusa/ABC, Girl and Body Dir; Charlotte Mars. ATYP’s Intersection, La Boite ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Theatre’s Wind In The Willows, and making his state company theatre debut in 2019 for Queensland ​ ​ Theatre acting in iconic American contemporary classic Death Of A Salesman alongside Peter Kowitz & ​ ​ ​ ​ Angie Milliken, Directed by Queensland’s favourite theatre maker Jason Klarwein. ​ ​ Flexing his jack of all trades skill-set, Ilai has also tried his hand at presenting for ABCME on teen technology series Break The Future and more recently as casual presenter on Triple J continuing the duo ​ ​ ​ ​ partnership with co-host Pip Rassmussen (ABCME.) In addition to presenting he recently lent his voice to ​ ​ ABCME’s popular animation; Spongo Fuzz and Jalapena voicing the lead Fuzz and moreover he can be ​ ​ heard voicing the lead role of Freddie Lupin in 100% WOLF. The latest animated feature film produced by ​ ​ Australia’s famed animation house Flying Bark Pictures. He is back with familiar company as the film also stars Magda Szubanski and other household names; Jai Courtney, Samara Weaving, Rhys Darby and ​ ​ ​ ​ America’s funny lady of Glee fame Jane Lynch. He voices the lead in the film 100% WOLF out now and ​ ​ ​ ​ the subsequent TV series to follow at a later date on ABCME.

Catch Ilai as the new lead in ABC’s latest comedy series Retrograde when it airs on Wednesday July 8th ​ ​ 9:30PM. Teamed up again with Director Natalie Bailey (Open Slather.)