The force still appears to be within actor John Boyega who recently shared that he’s still a “massive, massive” fan of the Stars Wars franchise despite his qualms with Disney studio over their botched attempt at diversifying their cinematic universe.
During a recent interview with Total Film magazine, the British star made it that he wasn’t looking to shed new light on a shelved topic, telling the outlet, “I’ve said what I said on it, and that doesn’t change overnight. We handled that years ago. [There’s no point] recycling the same story that’s been for two years.”
The Golden Globe-winning actor famously played stormtrooper turned rebel Finn in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens and was a lot more vocal nearly four years ago when he famously aired out his frustrations during a conversation with British GQ magazine, saying that he’d tell Disney, “What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up.”
However, the rising young star made it clear he’s still a “massive, massive” devotee of the iconic space series, so much so the Breaking star teased, “I was the person on set correcting stuff.”
He continued, “Like the flying jet troopers that we had in The Rise of Skywalker. Poe had been saying, ‘They fly now,’ and I thought they had seen the flying jet troopers from [animated TV series] The Clone Wars.” The Star Wars: The Force Awakens star shared, “I play the games on Battlefront. I have a robust relationship with the whole Star Wars stuff.”
Boyega revealed his first interaction with Star Wars occurred when he came across a toy figure of a crime lord and Darth Sidious’ first apprentice, Darth Maul. The character initially appeared in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
“I’m a ’90s baby, so I came during the prequels,” he continued. “I was like, ‘Bloody hell, man.’ I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it looked cool, and there were spaceships and glow sticks that could slash your wrist off.”
The actor said he ultimately backtracked to the “old Star Wars after” before admitting, “OK, I’m guilty – I did say that the effects are s**t when I was younger! I didn’t know any better.”
Ultimately Boyega said he “grew into maturity and was in love with it.” Still, as much as he loves Star Wars, he professed, “it’s almost nicer not having to be in it, and not having to deal with that,” but “it’s weird, you just go back to being a fan again and see yourself in the games.”