John Boyega says he won’t return to ‘Star Wars‘ franchise
The actor also addressed his experiences of racism within the ‘Star Wars’ fandom
John Boyega has revealed that he has no plans to return to the Star Wars franchise.
The British actor found international recognition is his role as stormtrooper Finn in Episode VII: The Force Awakens, returning for the next two instalments in the trilogy, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
“At this point I’m cool off it. I’m good off it,” Boyega said on SiriusXM’s Tell Me Everything With John Fugelsang.
“I think Finn is at a good confirmation point where you can just enjoy him in other things, the games, the animation. But I feel like [Episode] VII to [Episode] IX was good for me.”
He continued: “To be fair, [with] the allies that I’ve found within Joel Taylor and Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Viola Davis, all these people I’ve been working with… versatility is my path.”
The Attack the Block actor also addressed his experience of racism within the Star Wars fandom, something that Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram has also been subjected to this year, which prompted Ewan McGregor to come to her defence.
“Moses Ingram being protected makes me feel protected. Do you understand what I’m saying? It makes me feel like, ‘Okay, cool. I am not the elephant in the room.’ Because when I started, it wasn’t really a conversation you could bring up,” Boyega explained.
“You know how they went through it. It was kind of like, let’s just be silent. It wasn’t a conversation you could bring up. But now to see how blatant it is, to see Ewan McGregor come and support… for me, [it] fulfills my time where I didn’t get the support.”
He also clarified that doesn’t feel “bitter” about the situation.
‘It makes me feel like sometimes you are that guy. And my dad taught me that,” he said.”Sometimes you’re not the guy to get the blessing and sometimes you are Moses, you know, you lead the people to the mountain, but you see the destination. You don’t get to go in, you get others to go in. And that’s where you get your happiness from.
“And for me to see other people accepted, and then at the same time to see that the studios now are like, ‘Okay, cool. This is not an elephant in the room conversation. We need to support our Black client.’ It’s fantastic.”