*British actor John Boyega the star of ‘Breaking’ and known for his roles in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker sat down with SiriusXM Progress host John Fugelsang and said why he felt inspired to speak out in London after the murder of George Floyd and spoke about being a Black actor in the ‘Star Wars’ film and television universe, experiencing racist backlash from fans, and whether he wants to reprise his role.
Host, John Fugelsang: For me, it’s such a interesting choice for you because I’m one of the people who was very grateful for the comments you made at a rally honoring George Floyd in London in 2020.
That clip went famously viral, and for me it was just such an act of compassion on behalf of an artist, and outrage. I think celebrity might be the silliest thing humans have ever invented.
John Boyega: I think it was a double-edged sword I’d say.
Host, John Fugelsang: Right, but when someone takes that and uses it for something greater than all of us, for something that helps the marginalized, that helps people like George Floyd, who don’t get movies made about him normally, that seemed like it was very extemporaneous, that speech you gave. I got that you went there, but did you have in mind that you were gonna speak into a megaphone to the crowd that day?
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John Boyega No. So the solid two weeks leading up to that date, we had seen so many Black bodies being harmed. Consistently. And it was very frustrating to the point where we had cases in the UK.. who passed away due to racist bullying. There was a lot of things going on and it all reached a crescendo and I’m sure you felt this, everyone felt helpless at the time. It’s like, you know, what could we honestly do? But as these protests start to build up in the United States, there’s a line. I’m from the Diaspora. Especially being a Black man from the Diaspora. I got American friends, people from here so that connection started to happen, and this charity justice for black lives basically brought everyone together in Hyde Park and said, ‘come out and support.’ And by the way, I wasn’t the only one going down there. Everyone was going. Lewis Hamilton texted me. He was like, ‘yeah, on my way.’ Everybody was going down and everyone felt some type of way to show solidarity. And the speech only happened because we were waiting for [one of the families] to come to come down and represent her and give a speech and then a few other people were going.
Host, John Fugelsang: Did they ask you to fill?
John Boyega: Yeah. They just asked me fill in. Yeah, she was stuck in traffic. The way they organized it was amazing. They had consistent groups going throughout all the major bridges in London. So when those groups would leave Hyde Park to go into central London, there was still a waiting period for new people who came because when new people come, you have to discuss why we’re doing it, give them the motivation, have them speak, and then they go out and march. And in that continuous flow, we were just waiting. I was just there with my sister. We took an Uber down, got to Hyde Park, we had been protesting for three hours and a girl with a megaphone was just like, can you just say a few words? And yeah, I don’t know what came over me, man. I just, I had to say what was on my mind. And there was an essence of yes, it is heartbreaking. It doesn’t feel right to have this done to you, but I like the fact that in an opportunity I also spoke about the responsibility we have as men. And that responsibility that is dwindling. People can say, it starts at home, it starts in the home. And for me, the head of the household, who has most likely has the ability and the power to make changes for those who are in the household has been kind of lost in the messaging somewhere.
Host, John Fugelsang: Well we don’t have men in this country. We have boys, guys, homies, players and dudes.
John Boyega: I’ve never heard that, but I hear it. And the definition of that. For us to be able to discuss that and to be able to learn from older men, people who have had great character.
Host, John Fugelsang: But in terms of righteousness and morality, not just ability to beat the shit outta somebody.
John Boyega: Yeah, but also the ability to get to a point in your life where you’re kind of like this power, this privilege as men, we know what the privilege is, man. Go out in the midnight, you can walk three hours down the street, you ain’t feeling no type of way. A woman goes and does it, it’s a whole different experience for her. A woman comes up and chats to you in a bar, you’re in heaven. It happens to a woman, it can be a whole different experience. So the privilege to a certain extent comes with a responsibility to me and specific to specifically to Black men. I just don’t think the conversation is healthy if we aren’t looking at what’s against us, but looking at what we are doing to ourselves. And I think it is a very, very important message.
Host, John Fugelsang: But that’s part of institutionalized racism. Don’t you think? I mean, when you say what we are doing to ourselves, the power structure, the dead white men that lived a long time ago that set this up. They’re the ones that instilled that generational depression that institutionalized low self-esteem.
John Boyega: It can be hard for people to navigate that, especially when you don’t know that’s happening and you don’t know your influence by those things so that’s why I just think it’s important
John Boyega Calls Out Racist Backlash From Star Wars Fans:
John Boyega: Right now you go on social media, it feels like algebra to me. Two plus two is four. If you do this, that means this. Women think like this, men think like this, and that simplicity with such intricate talking points, it froze me off.
Host, John Fugelsang: But when you’re going against the dumbing down of a culture, it’s gonna be a rocky road.
John Boyega It’s a rocky road.
Host, John Fugelsang: I’m thinking of Moses Ingram, who’s in this “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, and so much racism thrown at her.
John Boyega: I saw that.
Host, John Fugelsang: But Disney was there. They had a plan and it seemed like, oh, Disney learned along the way to have a plan for these sort of things to happen. When it happened to you, I don’t think there was a game plan. I don’t think they saw it coming.
John Boyega: That’s how it goes, man. That’s how it goes, but that’s the piece that I felt 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. 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 is.. it for me, fulfills my time where I didn’t get the support. 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, 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.
Host, John Fugelsang: Okay, but I’m gonna praise you one more time then because I thought what you did after episode nine was a lot like what you did in the park that day in London, when you said I’m gonna quote you. What I say to Disney is, “do not market a black character as important, and then push them aside.” I feel like they heard you.
John Boyega: Yeah, no no but as they should. Even if you wanna remove race out of it, just from a business perspective, don’t, don’t tease no black, you know what that does to black people? You know how you guys got everybody motivated around Black Panther? Don’t tease no Black Panther, market a black actor and switch and bait. You don’t do it with white actors. You don’t do it. You don’t. So don’t think you can have this skill set where you’re gonna put everybody on plasters. You got white people and black people excited. And then we come in and they in it for five minutes. They die at the beginning, or they’re the best friend.
Host, John Fugelsang: Where’s the character?
John Boyega: But why is it also that when you get sometimes it can be writers block, but why is it also that when you have this writers block, that affects these type of actors? Why is it? You still got a rich story coming through. Why can’t it be spread out? And for me, those conversations…
Host, John Fugelsang: Some character get stories. Some character get tying up loose ends.
John Boyega: I mean, we know the difference. I mean, we can feel it on set. It’s like, yeah, we don’t need you no more. Like, oh, we’re not in this? You can feel it. But what the conversation does is it for me, so positive because it gives other actors the ability to be able to say, okay, look, I’m not comfortable with this, or this is what’s happened. This is kind of support I need. And that for me is what I wanted out of everything. I wanted to be able to walk into a room, a Black actor, whenever they feel some type of way, they can go to the studio and say, this is how I feel. This is the support I need. And they can get that. It won’t be a weird conversation. And me knowing that I’m like cool.
Host, John Fugelsang: Will you play the character again?
John Boyega: At this point I’m cool off it. I’m good off it. I think to be fair, what the allies that I’ve found within Joel Taylor and Jamie Fox, Teyonah Parris, Viola Davis, all these people I’ve been working with, versatility is my path. And I think, 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, yeah, seven to nine was good for me.
Host, John Fugelsang: Go play James Bond, and then in 10 years, Disney will bring a truck of money over and try to talk you into it again.
source: siriusXM
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