John Boyega has certainly been able to leave his own mark on pop culture through his role as Finn in the Star Wars movies. It’s crazy to think that this year will mark the 10th anniversary of The Force Awakens’ release. Ahead of that momentous occasion, Boyega is recalling how he ultimately joined the massive franchise. Interestingly, it would seem that Boyega has none other than Tom Cruise to thank for him being hired to play the stormtrooper-turned-Resistance member, and J.J. Abrams was in the mix as well.
Since the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy ended in 2019, the 32-year-old British actor has regaled fans with great behind-the-scenes stories. He’s just made a stop at Emerald City Comic Con, where he participated in a panel discussion hosted by Popverse. When talking about how he came to be involved with the George Lucas-created science fiction franchise, he name-dropped Mr. Cruise, which is surprising to me. However, it makes sense, considering that a Mission: Impossible link played into all of this:
I’m thankful to Tom Cruise, who loved Attack the Block. He was editing Mission Impossible at the time with J.J. Abrams. Tom told J.J., ‘You’ve got to watch this kid in Attack the Block.’ J.J. watched it, and one thing led to another, and four or five years later, I was in the movie.
John Boyega Shares Sweet Memories From Star Wars, Calls Himself A ‘Retired Superhero’
J.J. Abrams and Tom Cruise have collaborated on several M:I films, and the one they were likely editing when Cruise brought up John Boyega was 2011’s Ghost Protocol. (Abrams served as a producer on that flick.) As a film fan, I love hearing great BTS stories, especially anecdotes about one actor helping another in some form or fashion. It’s wonderful that Cruise talked up the then-up-and-coming actor to Abrams. Also, it’s easy to understand Cruise’s praise, because Boyega is phenomenal in the criminally underrated Attack the Block (which is streamable with a Paramount+ subscription).
For years, the Risky Business icon has been widely regarded as a generous figure within the entertainment industry. This also isn’t the first time that a younger actor has mentioned that he offered them support when they were seeking out a role. For instance, Monica Barbaro, who worked with the longtime leading man on Top Gun: Maverick, revealed that he went above and beyond for her when she pursued the role of Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown. He did so by putting in a good word for her with director James Mangold.
It goes without saying that John Boyega’s professional trajectory was immensely changed due to Tom Cruise’s recommendation. Boyega rose to international stardom thanks to his roles in three entries in the Skywalker Saga, and that’s made all the better by the fact that he was a fan of the galaxy far, far away before even being cast. Still, Boyega has been honest about the downsides of being tied to the franchise, including the onslaught of racist backlash as well as the “curse” that comes into play when an actor tries to diversify their work.
Thankfully, though, the London native has been able to take on some interesting roles since retiring the role of Finn. He’s notched roles in The Woman King, Breaking and They Cloned Tyrone and Small Axe, which all received critical acclaim. It’s wild to think that Tom Cruise played a hand in John Boyega’s humble beginnings, and, if he hasn’t thanked the legend face to face already, I hope he gets the chance to do so. And, as Boyega pitched, I hope he gets to play a “guy in the chair” or an even bigger role in a movie with Cruise one day.
You can stream all of the Star Wars movies now using a Disney+ subscription.
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