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‘Sometimes You’re Not the Guy to Get the Blessings’: John Boyega Will Not Return to ‘Star Wars’ Amid Racist Backlash, Cites Lack of Support

Posted byBy Atahabih Germain | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Actor John Boyega says he will not return to the “Star Wars” franchise. The British actor was best known for his role as Stormtrooper-turned-Resistance fighter Finn in the sequel trilogy. 

Boyega made the announcement during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Tell Me Everything with John Fugelsang,” telling the host, “At this point, I’m cool off it. I’m good off it,” he said, when asked about his reprising his role in the epic space-opera.

He continued, “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.”

Boyega 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 30-year-old star also addressed the racist criticism he received from fans during his tenure on the popular franchise. In 2020, Boyega accused Disney of pulling a Black character bait-and-switch by marketing his character as “much more important in the franchise” than he actually was.

While speaking to Fugelsang, the actor compared his experience to “Obi-Wan Kenobi”  star Moses Ingram, who portrayed the Inquisitor Reva. While Ingram found support from peers like Ewan McGregor, Boyega claimed his cries of racism fell on deaf ears. 

“It doesn’t make me feel bitter at all. It makes me feel like sometimes you are that guy, and my dad taught me that. Sometimes you’re not the guy to get the blessing, and sometimes you are Moses,” the actor explained. “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.”

He added, “Moses Ingram being protected makes me feel protected. 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 appears in two upcoming films, including “The Woman King” with Viola Davis and the thriller “Breaking,” alongside the late Michael K. Williams.

 

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