Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Entertainment
EntertainmentFilm

Sole Black ‘Star Wars’ Stormtrooper John Boyega Laments the Lack of Diversity In Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWpbaWphHkG/

John Boyega knows a thing or two about the issue of diversity, considering his historic portrayal of a Black Stormtrooper in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Now, he wants more to be done when it comes to nonwhite actors appearing on the big screen.

“I ain’t paying money to always see one type of person onscreen,” the actor said in the August issue of GQ magazine, the cover of which he graces. “Because you see different people from different backgrounds, different cultures, everyday. Even if you’re a racist, you have to live with that. We can ruffle up some feathers.”

Boyega did just that when he took off his helmet as a Stormtrooper in 2015, leading to a wave of racist criticism from the Star Wars fan base. Still, many celebrated the depiction, including director Ava DuVernay, who shut down the hate by creating the hashtag, #CelebrateStarWarsVII. Yet, Boyega believes there is still a ways to go when it comes to nonwhite actors being cast in science fiction and fantasy roles.

“There are no Black people on ‘Game of Thrones,'” Boyega said. (GQ noted there actually are at least three Black characters on the series.) “You don’t see one Black person in ‘Lord of the Rings.'”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWpsyhVFtPP/

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top