Actor John Boyega has called out Star Wars fans who only accept Black actors in supporting roles while rejecting them as lead characters. The star made these remarks in the new documentary "Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood."
"Star Wars always had the vibe of being in the most whitest, elite space," said Boyega, who played Finn in the recent trilogy. "It's a franchise that's so white that a Black person existing in [it] was something."
The British actor expressed frustration at fans who point to characters like Lando Calrissian and Mace Windu as examples of diversity. "It's like telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough. They just scattered that in there," he remarked.
Boyega highlighted the double standard among certain fans who accept Black actors as sidekicks but react negatively when they take leading roles. "They're okay 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!'" he said.
The actor's comments come amid a broader pattern of racist attacks against Star Wars' diverse cast members. Kelly Marie Tran faced severe online harassment after her role in "The Last Jedi," while Amandla Stenberg recently responded to racist fans through music following her appearance in "The Acolyte."
In 2020, Boyega also criticized Disney's handling of his character, noting how Finn's role diminished throughout the trilogy while white characters received more nuanced development. Despite these challenges, he acknowledges "The Force Awakens" as a career-defining moment, describing his casting as "an attack on reality" that changed his life.