In a new interview with SiriusXM’s John Fugelsang, John Boyega spoke candidly about his experience with racist fans and his treatment at the hands of the Star Wars franchise.
Boyega states that there was no playbook for what he experienced, but he’s sure that what happened to him helped inform Star Wars when its next Black star began to receive the same kind of hatred, namely Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram, who plays the Inquisitor Reva. Instead of stepping back and letting fandom run amok, the Star Wars social media accounts, Ewan McGregor, and other stars and fans clearly denounces the fandom-led racism.
“Moses Ingram being protected makes me feel protected,” Boyega said. “Sometimes you don’t get that treatment. You lead people there.” He said that for him, watching Moses get institutional support makes him happy. These conversations, he said, are no longer silent. You get to talk about the dark side of fandom, and you get to be heard.
“From a business perspective… don’t tease a Black actor [as a lead] and then don’t follow through,” Boyega said. Disney seems to have listened. “It gives other actors the ability to [speak up.]” When Fugelsang asks if he’s going to return to Finn, Boyega kindly says that he’s good. “Finn can be enjoyed in [other media]… I feel like [Episodes] 7 to 9 was good for me.”
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