john
boyega
John Boyega Is on His Own Hero’s Journey
As Star Wars concludes, the actor is using his starpower to thrust Hollywood into new territory.
Photographer: Ricardo Rivera By: Isaac Rouse
Producers: Emily Jensen & Jade Chung
Art Director: Jade Chung Stylist: Jade Chung
Videographer: Julius Ignacio
Location: The Prince George Ballroom
John Boyega’s first foray into Hollywood was with arguably the biggest film franchise on Earth: Star Wars. To land a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the then-22-year-old actor endured a tumultuous casting process that lasted for months on end. But Boyega came out on top with a co-lead role as a former Stormtrooper simply named Finn.
To say Boyega’s entire career hinged on the success of The Force Awakens would be an understatement. The J.J. Abrams-led production was the first Star Wars film since George Lucas’ critically-mixed prequel films, and the first since Lucas sold the franchise rights to Disney. Leading up to its release in 2015, The Force Awakens carried the legacy of a global phenomenon on its shoulders, with Boyega very much at the center.
But Boyega earned his stripes. The film garnered $2 billion USD worldwide at the box office, transforming Boyega into a young Padawan within the film industry. His next projects in 2017, The Circle and Detroit, would serve to showcase his merit in Hollywood before his second Star Wars joint, The Last Jedi, arrived later that same year. That film would go on to split the Star Wars community for its changes to the lore, with even Mark Hamill sharing his qualms about the arc of his character, Luke Skywalker. Nonetheless, Rian Johnson’s film earned an impressive $1.3 billion USD in the global box office.
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That year became the actor’s Jedi Trials, which, for those not versed in Star Wars lore, serve as a series of tests and tribulations that results in one being recognized as a full-fledged Jedi Knight. The actor then earned his first producer credit in 2018’s Pacific Rim: Uprising, in which he also starred.
Finally, at the turn of a new decade, John Boyega will be seen for the first time as a fully-realized figure in Hollywood with the launch of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker later this month. At the same time, the film will function as the final installment of the core Star Wars series (for the foreseeable future at least). It will also mark the start of a new beginning for Boyega as he leaves behind the role that made his mark in the industry.
Now that Boyega has made his hero’s journey through the Star Wars franchise, he possesses the starpower to not only secure more leading roles, but also position himself in Hollywood to act as a producer as well. The 27-year-old actor is looking to cement his feet in projects that can recontextualize the traditional stories moviegoers have come to love. Of course, playing Finn for the last four years means the actor isn’t without lingering attachments to the character.
“Playing Finn has been a journey,” Boyega tells HYPEBEAST. “Definitely at times, very, very stressful in terms of the commitment, the work ethic is different for any Star Wars film or any film of that magnitude actually, which was definitely something that I had to adjust to. But playing Finn, it's been fun to play the most human guy in Star Wars.”
Finn’s character arc in this new Star Wars trilogy has tracked his journey to break away from the conformity of the First Order Stormtroopers and discover his own identity. However, the follow-up film The Last Jedi sidetracked that character progression, much to the chagrin of fans and Boyega himself.
“The Force Awakens I think was the beginning of something quite solid, The Last Jedi if I'm being honest I'd say that was feeling a bit iffy for me,” Boyega says. “I didn't necessarily agree with a lot of the choices in that and that's something that spoke to Mark [Hamill] a lot about and we had conversations about it. And it was hard for all of us, because we were separated.”
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“The
banter, the bickering, the undercover
romances that then manifest an epic moment.
Boyega has been candid on Twitter about his feelings on Finn’s story, and much to his surprise, Star Wars fans have responded to say they craved more of his story. He believes there’s more to be told with the character, but not as a standalone project, as he thinks Finn truly shines when he’s paired with Daisy Ridley’s Rey and Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron.
“I guess the original Star Wars films there was much more of a trio feel where it was essentially about Luke's journey, but Han and Leia there was a strong dynamic, which I think, I don't know how quickly we're going to be able to establish that longterm dynamic with [Episode] Nine. But if it's exploring that dynamic, then that would be cool,” he notes. “I do feel even after three films still, we don't know them as much as we got to know Han, Luke, Leia. And maybe that's a great opportunity to get to know them a little bit more.”
Star Wars fans have always been passionate. But the access and anonymity afforded by social media also means the discourse among the fanbase can get toxic very quickly, reaching an all-time high in the time between the release of The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. And although Boyega can relate to many of the complaints from fans, he could do without some of its more negative manifestations. “It gets very, very complicated to handle things from Star Wars fans,
because of how much the words can be twisted to mean something entirely different,” he explains.
There are even folks who turn to victimization if matched with the same energy from celebrities. “On Twitter for example,” Boyega says, “I have a fan who hates the films, right? And he'll be rude directly to me and I'll be rude back and then they start crying like babies. Then they're like, ‘Why are you attacking me?’ And it's like I thought we was on the same page. I thought we're just going at it, we're Star Wars fans, we're supposed to be heated about this,” he says. “You've got to take what you can give. I don't care what profession you're in. That's a mantra for life.”
What Boyega understands, which many actors who are part of a franchise film must learn firsthand, is that the fans online do not represent the community as a whole. He receives more civility from fans when meeting them in person, noting that the fans who actively attend annual Star Wars Celebration and San Diego Comic-Con conventions are a true representation of the fandom. “The rest of the fandom, even when they have problems with it, it's discussed in a very cordial way, in a fun way. But when it gets toxic, when no one's listening and then I say one thing and then it becomes an attack, come on man, I can tell you lot ain't never had no real fight before. You call that an attack?”
Like many fans online, Boyega believes in the themes previously established within the Star Wars franchise, rather than the focus on the realism introduced in The Last Jedi, and would only return to the character if the future story encapsulated those classic characteristics. “The banter, the bickering, the undercover romances that then manifest an epic moment. That for me is Star Wars. It's not hyperreal or realistic or grounded. Don't do any of that. It's like connection, family, friendship. If they're going to do it in that direction, then absolutely.”
However, given that his series of films in a galaxy far, far away is complete for now, Boyega is excitedly looking ahead at the more grounded films he’s involved with. “After Star Wars I've got Small Axe with Steve McQueen that I just wrapped. Then I've got a Netflix feature film called They Cloned Tyrone. That's going to be dope,” he says with baited breath. “And then I've got another action film called Rebel Ridge that I'm doing with Kevin Costner and then another movie called the Naked Singularity directed by Chase Palmer, where I play a lawyer who decides to go on a $75 million heist. And that's with Bill Skarsgård and Olivia Cooke. I've got my own production company, and we've just signed a multiple picture deal, so we're going to be developing some content for that.”
What appears to be driving the actor most is getting back to independent films like Attack the Block, the 2011 British sci-fi comedy that marked his movie debut. “I've just been trying to gather up stories that I know that would be significant of solid interest. But also support directors who are developing original stories. What is the next Star Wars? What is the next franchise?” he asks.
That isn’t to say he wants to dive into another tentpole series like Star Wars. “In terms of big next franchise stuff, I'm very, very careful with that,” Boyega admits. But whatever he lands, he wants it to show his versatility as an actor. As he’s been known as the warmhearted Finn for nearly half a decade, Boyega wouldn’t mind playing a villain.
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“I do feel
even after three films still, we
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On the production side, however, Boyega wants more than anything to develop stories specifically for the culture. “Well producing stuff that makes people outside the culture do what we've always been doing, which is to be able to watch anything and be like, ‘Okay, cool.’ Yeah, we've been going to their movies, we've been supporting, we were giving them our cash and everything. So it'd be great, great to make projects in which everybody can be involved in too, whether you're part of the culture or not. But those that are part of the culture can feel essentially what white people feel when they go watch their movies, they feel represented. So why shouldn't we?”
Boyega has aspirations to join the likes of Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler and Lena Waithe in terms of recontextualizing traditional stories through the lens of different cultural backgrounds. But those figures are still able to create works that resonate with a wider audience, which is an important aspect of what Boyega wants to develop. “It's not only race to me,” Boyega points out.
“It's aesthetic of people. Why do leads always have to be muscular and ripped?” he asks. “That kind of sometimes shows to me that the guy has too much time on his hands. What real war hero of history [looks that way?]. Do you know what I mean? It's about rebranding the way in which we are fed a false narrative of perfection.”
Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone will be one of those films that takes a common science fiction story audiences have seen but in a new context that Boyega hopes will showcase a fresh take. “It's a complete replacement of the natural environments that we so happen to see aliens land,” he says of the film’s setting. “The aliens ain't landing in no suburban white neighborhood. They're not landing in a multicultural city, you know what I mean? They going all the way to Black folk.” It was a script that connected to him, not only in terms of it being a traditional story recontextualized for modern day, but because he relates to the environment.
“I'm from the hood in London. When I come to L.A., my introduction to L.A. I was staying in Inglewood on my friend's couch. So obviously I have much more of a connect to that rounded environment. Because that's where I'm from back home in London. And this script to me just reminded me of home and reminded me of what happens when people that I know, like my cousins, my boys in the ends. What would happen if they started cloning Black people in the hood. What would happen?”
Boyega feels the reason many moviegoers view modern cinema as monotonous and self-involved with formulaic tentpole films is because the industry has been telling stories from the same perspective for over a century. “What brings everyone together is the sci-fi element. What's going to give you an insight is the human story of these individuals,” he says.
He also believes audiences are changing, becoming smarter, and as such, demanding more originality from their movies. As a response, the new blood within Hollywood are attempting to break the mold of traditional storytelling.
“The reason why you're not getting original ideas is because we've had over 100 years of the same culture. How much more are they going to squeeze out? Now it's about exploring different cultures and different stories and then implementing that in with nonfiction as well as fiction and going into stories of factual history that are surprising to us.”
Boyega points to films like Waithe’s Queen & Slim as a perfect example of recontextualized storytelling, as it delivers a modern take on the classic on the lam movie — with all the contemporary issues attached to the concept. The screenwriter has become one of many new creative talents Boyega looks forward to working with.
“She stopped me at the Met Gala, and she was like, ‘Imma get you a role, ain't no one hitting it with you just yet,’” he says. The prospect got him excited to work. Even while recollecting the conversation, the actor’s enthusiasm shone through as if he were still in the moment. “I loved that talk. She came up to me real at the Met Gala just like ‘Yo, I think you something and I think that I can brainstorm something just for you.’”
John Boyega has no intentions of coasting with his current achievements, and already has a guideline for where he wants to go next. Instead of only looking inward, however, like a true Jedi, he’s selflessly looking ahead to inspire future generations. Boyega intends to use the Force for good, and break the mold Hollywood has been too afraid to challenge for far too long.
Raf Simons Coat, Shirt, Pants and Boots
“It's
about rebranding the way in which
That for me is Star Wars.”
don't know them as much as we got to know Han, Luke, Leia.”
john
boyega
john
boyega
we are fed a false narrative of perfection.”
“She stopped me at the Met Gala, and she was like, ‘Imma get you a role, ain't no one hitting it with you just yet,’” he says. The prospect got him excited to work. Even while recollecting the conversation, the actor’s enthusiasm shone through as if he were still in the moment. “I loved that talk. She came up to me real at the Met Gala just like ‘Yo, I think you something and I think that I can brainstorm something just for you.’”
John Boyega has no intentions of coasting with his current achievements, and already has a guideline for where he wants to go next. Instead of only looking inward, however, like a true Jedi, he’s selflessly looking ahead to inspire future generations. Boyega intends to use the Force for good, and break the mold Hollywood has been too afraid to challenge for far too long.