British actor John Boyega opened up about his groundbreaking role in the Star Wars franchise, revealing the racial backlash he faced from some fans when he became one of the first Black leads in the iconic science fiction series.
Speaking candidly in the documentary ‘Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood,’ Boyega reflected on what it meant to break barriers in a franchise historically dominated by white actors.
The actor, who portrayed former Stormtrooper Finn in the recent Star Wars trilogy, described the franchise as existing “in the most whitest elite space” and acknowledged that having a Black person in a leading role was significant.
Boyega characterized the franchise as having historically maintained what he described as an overwhelmingly white aesthetic and atmosphere. He points out that the franchise has featured Black actors in memorable roles before—Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian and Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu being the most prominent examples. However, he suggested these casting choices represented token inclusion rather than meaningful representation.
“I’m like bro, they just scattered that in there,” Boyega said, drawing a comparison to chocolate chips sparsely distributed on a cookie to illustrate his point about minimal representation.
According to Boyega, certain segments of the Star Wars fanbase remain comfortable with Black actors in sidekick or supporting positions, but the response shifts dramatically when those same actors occupy leading roles.
“They’re okay with us playing the best friend,” Boyega explained. “But once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s a bit too much. They’re pandering.'”
Boyega’s observations come from his firsthand experience as part of the sequel trilogy, where his character Finn was initially positioned as a potential lead before his role evolved throughout the three films.
During the documentary, the actor also recalled the momentous phone call that changed his life when he was cast in ‘The Force Awakens.’ Despite strict confidentiality requirements, Boyega was so excited he shared the news with a taxi driver, making it a deeply personal celebration before telling his parents.