Finn, may the force be with you. “Star Wars” actor John Boyega has announced that he will not return to one of the most successful sci-fi film franchises.
In a recent SiriusXM interview, the 30-year-old actor discussed his plans to return to the sci-fi blockbuster franchise in future films. His most recent appearance in the film franchise was in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019.
Boyega explained:
“At this point I’m cool off it. I’m good off it. 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. To be fair, [with] the allies that I’ve found with Joel Taylor and Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Viola Davis, all these people I’ve been working with… versatility is my path.”
His decision to leave the franchise contradicts a statement he made last year in which he mentioned the possibility of him reprising his role as Finn if Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams were involved in the production.
In the same SiriusXM interview, Boyega discussed the blatant racism he encountered from “Star Wars” fans while playing Finn, and how no one wanted to address the issue. He did, however, commend his team for being more vocal about Moses Ingram’s debut.
Boyega explained:
“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. But now to see how blatant it is, to see Ewan McGregor come and support… for me, it fulfills my time where I didn’t get the support.”
Co-star Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi, has been a vocal supporter of Moses Ingram in the face of toxic comments, even releasing a video statement to address the issue.
In addition, Mark Hamill, who plays the iconic Luke Skywalker, tweeted his support for Kelly Marie Tran in the midst of racist comments, telling fans to #GetALifeNerds.
This September 16, John Boyega will star in the historical epic “The Woman King.”