He performed with the band Grinderman until its disbandment in 2013, and has composed film scores with long-time friend, collaborator and band-mate Nick Cave.

Ellis plays the violin, piano, accordion, bouzouki, guitar, flute, mandolin, mandocello and viola.

After winning a scholarship to a private high school,[8] Ellis went to university in Melbourne, where he studied classical violin.

In 1993, Ellis was invited to play with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as part of a small string ensemble for several songs on Let Love In (released 1994).

Ellis eventually co-wrote many of the band's songs and became a pivotal collaborator with singer Nick Cave in film scores and other projects.

[14] In 2009, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis released White Lunar – an album that includes other soundtrack scores.

[17][3] In 2021, Ellis and his wife announced the purchase of a parcel of land in Sumatra, which they donated to the non-profit Jakarta Animal Aid Network.