John Boyega has revealed he had a ‘transparent, honest conversation’ with President of LucasFilm Kathleen Kennedy about representation in Star Wars.
Earlier this year, the actor, 28, called out the franchise for ‘sidelining’ his character of Stormtrooper turned Rebel hero Finn and giving ‘all the nuance’ to his white co-stars Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver.
Discussing the aftermath of his remarks, John told the BBC on Tuesday: ‘I got a phone call from Kathleen Kennedy, and she just verbally showed her support and we got to have a really nice transparent, honest conversation that is beneficial for both of us.
Discussion: John Boyega revealed on Tuesday he and LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy had an ‘honest conversation’ about representation in Star Wars
‘I think these types of conversations you can go into the realm of sounding like you’re just trying to save your own career, but what is great now is that it is now a conversation that anyone has access to.
‘Now people can express themselves about this knowing that any character we love especially in these franchises, like the Marvels or the Star Wars, we love them because of the moments they are given.
‘We love them because of those moments, and they’re heroic moments that these producers all decide for these characters so we need to see that in our characters that are maybe black and from other cultures.’
Candid: Earlier this year, the actor, 28, called out the franchise for ‘sidelining’ his character of Stormtrooper turned Rebel hero Finn and giving ‘all the nuance’ to his white co-stars
Making a change: Of the conversation, John said: ‘She just verbally showed her support and we got to have a really nice transparent, honest conversation that is beneficial for both of us’
Boyega’s defector Storm Trooper Finn seemed set up from the beginning – in Episode VII – The Force Awakens – to lead a Rebellion uprising comprised of other disillusioned Empire cronies.
But sadly, due to many, many factors, both Boyega’s character, as well as Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose, were unjustly brushed to the side in the final cut of last year’s saga-concluding Rise Of Skywalker.
It was an issue that Boyega first broached in September, in an interview with British GQ, in which he proclaimed that Disney marketed his character as being ‘much more important’ than he ultimately became.
Rightly so: Boyega’s character Finn seemed set up from the beginning – in Episode VII – The Force Awakens – to lead a Rebellion uprising of other disillusioned Empire cronies
Unfair: Sadly, due to many factors, both Boyega’s character, as well as Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose, were unjustly brushed to the side in the final cut of last year’s Rise Of Skywalker
He went on the say that he felt that the white characters in the film were given far more ‘nuance,’ suggesting that the filmmaking team didn’t know how to treat him properly as a black actor.
‘They gave all the nuance to Adam Driver, all the nuance to Daisy Ridley. Let’s be honest. Daisy knows this. Adam knows this. Everybody knows. I’m not exposing anything,’ he said at the time.
It was a sentiment he revisited in his chat with Yahoo this week, when he compared to his character Finn – who had the makings of a true cinematic hero – with a figure like Captain America.
Calling it out: In September, John said of the plot: ‘They gave all the nuance to Adam Driver, all the nuance to Daisy Ridley. Let’s be honest. Daisy knows this. Adam knows this’ (pictured)
‘We all know that what makes roles so lucrative [are] the moments you give them. If Captain America isn’t given the scenes to boost his representation, and to make him enjoyable for you guys, we won’t think he’s cool,’ Boyega reasoned.
‘[So] why shouldn’t Black characters and Black actors also fight for that same kind of representation?’
Last month, John discussed an axed storyline for the final film, ultimately titled Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise Of Skywalker, that would have given Finn a meatier role.
Do better: Talking to the BBC, John said in film heroic moments are decided by producers, ‘so we need to see that in our characters that are maybe black and from other cultures’
Makings of a hero: This reflected his remarks earlier this year, when he said ‘if Captain America isn’t given the scenes to boost his representation… we won’t think he’s cool’
‘I think [initial Episode IX director] Colin Trevorrow was going to tell that story,’ John shared during the video chat.
He was referring to Trevorrow’s original vision for how the final film – which he would have titled Star Wars: Duel Of The Fates – would unfold, before Colin left the project altogether and was replaced by Episode VII helmer JJ Abrams.
‘The concept art in the Star Wars book has that image of Finn with the blue [Rebellion] flag, and you have the AT-ATs lined up with tribal marks, and the stormtroopers take off their helmets,’ Boyega continued, referring to leaked concept art from Trevorrow’s vision.
‘That would have been sick. That would have been dope, hands down.’
Preferable: Last month, John said an axed storyline for the final film, in Colin Treverrow’s original script for Dual Of The Fates (pictured), gave Finn a meatier role ‘would have been dope’