John Boyega claims ‘Star Wars’ is the “whitest elite space”
John Boyega has claimed the Star Wars franchise is the “whitest elite space” in the new Apple TV+ documentary Number One on the Call Sheet.
The British actor, who joined the film series in 2015, played Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens before reprising his role in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. He revealed the part led him to receive racist online harassment from fans angered that a Black actor was starring in the series.
He said: “Lemme tell ya, ‘Star Wars’ always had the vibe of being in the most whitest, elite space. It’s a franchise that’s so white that a Black person existing in [it] was something.”
Boyega added: “They’re OK with us playing the best friend, but once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, it’s like, ‘Oh my God, it’s just a bit too much! They’re pandering,’” before acknowledging that joining Star Wars represented a “fundamental moment” in his career.
The actor’s experience in the franchise has not been an easy road on many fronts, as he previously told GQ in 2020: “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.”
Elsewhere in the documentary, many other Black Hollywood actors dissected their oft-marginalised role in the industry, with Halle Berry questioning whether her Oscar win for ‘Best Actress’ in 2002 “really changed anything for women of colour,” given that no Black female film star has won the award in the 23 years since.
Number One on the Call Sheet is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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