John Boyega Talks Star Wars: Episode VIII
Star Wars actor John Boyega spoke with Vulture about his new co-star Kelly Marie Tran, Director Rian Johnson and that little Tom Hardy rumor. Read on for the details.
John Boyega has found instant fame around the world for his portrayal of Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The fledgling star who helped ‘ The Force Awakens’ break numerous records at the box-office will return for Episode VIII, currently filming in Ireland with Rian Johnson.
After winning the Trophée Chopard award at the Cannes Film Festival, Vulture caught up with the 24-year-old British actor, who played Finn in the blockbuster smash hit. Boyega was asked a variety of topics about Episode VIII, Director Rian Johnson, co-star Kelly Tran and what the deal is with that Tom Hardy rumor.
Vulture: How has your life changed since Episode VII? Can you walk around London?
Boyega: Yeah! I was in Duty Free a few hours ago.
Vulture: Really? What did you get?
Boyega: I got some socks because I forgot my socks, and some moisturizer. [Laughs.] So it’s been fine. I get stopped sometimes; sometimes I don’t. But, you know, with that being said, there are still two more Star Wars movies!
Vulture: But you must be having the time of your life.
Boyega: It’s a collaboration of all those things. It’s fun, it’s hard work, it makes you happy, it challenges you, it’s all of those things mixed into one, but fundamentally because of the great group that we have that I’m working with, it’s a great experience.
Vulture: There’s a woman in Episode VIII, Kelly Marie Tran, who’s going to be breaking barriers like you did in The Force Awakens. [Boyega beams and nods vigorously.] She’ll be the first Asian person to play a major Star Wars character, but no one knows anything about her. What can you tell us? What’s she like?
Boyega: I love her. I love her. I think she’s fantastic. But she’ll tell her own story. I feel it’s always weird or wrong for someone the world hasn’t met, for me to come and start talking about her.
Vulture:Not even to say what it’s like working with her?
Boyega: She’s great. She’s freaking great, and I love her. I freaking love her. She’s fantastic. Seriously. She’s changed a lot in terms of perspective on just chemistry and industry. She’s a real cool girl.
Vulture: She’s changed you?
Boyega: Yeah, yeah! Her outlook. It’s a friendship thing in the sense of you meet someone and you’re just like, “I vibe with you. I feel like I’ve known you for years.” And that’s a very, very good thing.
Vulture: And you’ll be working opposite each other most of the movie, right?
Boyega: Girl, you know I can’t tell you that! [Laughs.] I don’t know what I can and can’t say. [It depends on] what beeps in my head whenever I … [He indicates that he has an explosive device implanted in his temple]. But she’s fully in the movie, she’s a great character, and I can’t wait for you guys to be introduced to her.
Vulture: And just to be the first Asian in a major role. You were kind of in a similar position in the last episode.
Boyega: Oh yeah! And that’s why I’m just here to enjoy the show. [He leans back in his chair.] Oh yes, diversity!
Vulture: It also reminds me of when you worked with Daisy Ridley. She was totally unknown, whereas you had some credits under your belt.
Boyega: Only slightly. I’d done Attack the Block. People knew of me.
Vulture: I’ve heard a rumor, which you can refute, that Tom Hardy may have come on set to do a day as a Stormtrooper who slaps your ass.
Boyega: Who slaps my ass? Wow! Did Tom say that?
Vulture: You know, just like how Daniel Craig came on as a Stormtrooper last time …
Boyega: Okay. Okay. Next time I go on set I’m going to release a helmet and see if Tom Hardy’s in there!
Vulture:How is working with Rian Johnson different than J.J. Abrams?
Boyega: Rian is his own man. You can’t compare the two. They’re of the same ilk, creatively, both talented. But two different guys, man. I really, really dig Rian, to step in like that. I hope we get to work together on something in the future, because he’s got a great artistic eye. He’s not Hollywood at all. This is a big Hollywood blockbuster film, but you know what I’m saying, with him behind the energy, you don’t feel like you’re on a Hollywood set. You feel like you’re in the midst of friends and people who want to work on something creatively great.
Vulture:We’re obsessed with Adam Driver, because it’s so funny that little kids who love Kylo Ren are going to watch him on Girls someday.
Boyega: It’s just a convergence of the same story. He’s fantastic. He’s great.
Vulture: Will you see movies in Cannes before you leave?
Boyega: I wish I could. I’m leaving tomorrow.
Vulture:What about at home — do you have any time to do anything other than play Finn?
Boyega: Oh, I go home and go to sleep. I. Go. To. Sleep!
With each interview, Boyega seems to give us more and more tiny bits of information about the film. He will reprise his role as Finn in Star Wars: Episode VIII, set for release in 2017.
You can check out Vulture’s full interview with Boyega here.
May the force be with you…
Every time I see the photos of that stupid blue car and the dudes in tuxedos I get worried about this movie.
I’m not worried about the movie, but I’m worried about this scene. It just doesn’t scream “Star Wars” to me. That doesn’t mean it won’t belong, what is “Star Wars” to us is something that has been shown in books, movies, TV shows, ect…, so maybe this will bring a new asthetic to Star Wars that we haven’t seen.
i get it, because if it hasn’t been seen in SW before it can’t be done. got it.
That’s not even close to what I said. I have reservations about what this scene looks like (so far). I am quite optimistic that it will bring a new look into what the Star Wars universe is.
For instance, take Episode II. When they end up in the lower levels of Coruscant, it shows neon lights, people dressed up for outings and other things that we hadn’t seen before. This is of course a pre-war torn republic. It seemed to fit the asthetic quite nice. I’m hoping this will do the same.
Agree!
Yeah, I really don’t like the look of those wide shoulder tuxedo-like clothes and the stubby blunt speeder, however I will refrain from worrying. I remember when I saw the pictures of the giant pig beast on jakku I was so worried it would look really stupid, but it turned out to look fine and only be in 15 seconds of footage, then I got really worked up about constable zuvio having a bad looking puppet and it wound up getting cut from the film entirely- so this time I will just sit back until I see it in context (if its even in the film and not a deleted scene)
u people worry about bad looking puppets by have no problem with inarticulate rubber masks in the OT. so funny
Very.
Well I don’t have a problem per-se with any of it, I love all 7 films to death. To me the bad puppets of the OT are just a guilty, good for their time but I don’t get the nostalgia goggles. People gave Lucas crap for too much CGI in the prequels, but I’ll take a cgi robot over the silly rubber Greedo every time lol 😛
Practical effects are good an all but I feel people are overly devoted them. Zuvio should have been motion capture if he was in the film, not a puppet. Yoda should be Mo-Cap as well if he ever returns. Puppets make great background extras, not main characters
Truth is he put a lot of those same masks in the prequels.
Wait… WHAT?!?!?!
That’s from the new movie? It looks like a terrible B-movie vampire scene
Ugh. A gay stormtrooper that slaps Finn on the ass… What is this, ‘Space Balls’?? Sad to see Star Wars turn into a social experiment.
Eh, not so much. You see that sort of thing in American football as well. I never quite got the whole ass slapping thing myself but I dunno.
It started because Players have so much padding on them they can’t feel a slap anywhere else. The butt has no padding.
I’d rather see Star Wars be an experiment than a series of unsurprising fan wishes.