John Boyega’s name is one you’ll be hearing a lot more of in the weeks to come.
The British actor features heavily in the latest Star Wars trailer, and his character Finn looks set to have a major role to play in The Force Awakens, the seventh installment of the franchise.
Still just 23 years old, Boyega hasn’t been part of a film of this scale before. UK audiences will know him best from indie hit Attack the Block, while he also landed a recurring part in the last series of ’24’.
And while some might expect the Londoner to be overwhelmed by the hype around the film, when JOE sat down with him it was clear he doesn’t quite feel like a worldwide superstar yet.
The first thing you notice about Boyega is that he oozes charm.
He’ll treat you like an old friend the first time you meet him, and chat and laugh away with the calmness of someone who feels blessed to be doing something he loves and who appreciates having been given so many opportunities at such a young age.
We caught up with him in Spain where he was filming a poker TV show with Neymar and model Sara Sampaio, but the Peckham-born star still enjoys home comforts as much as the glamour that A-list fame brings.
He’s still living in his hometown, far from the LA bubble, and this certainly seems to play a part in his relaxed exterior.
“For me I’ve always been asked ‘are you going to move to LA’,” he says.
“I’ve been to LA to audition but I just so happened to book the biggest movie of my career so far in London…and it’s filming predominantly in London.
“Being home is such a good feeling, so I can’t wait to be back.”
He expects the popularity of Star Wars to properly hit home as the film’s release draws ever closer, and his reaction to the trailer suggests it’s already becoming more real to him, but when we spoke that was far from the case.
“I haven’t experienced the scale of Star Wars in the way people might think I would have,” he explains.
“I’ve only been on set and I’ve worked…Joe Cornish, the director of Attack The Block, came on set and it felt like home. JJ [Director JJ Abrams] is fantastic and it feels like you’re a bunch of students making a rendition of your favourite franchise…with a lot of money.”
There’s no doubt that more big roles will come Boyega’s way after Star Wars:The Force Awakens comes out on December 18, and one of these – The Circle, which also stars Emma Watson and Tom Hanks – has already started filming.
But if all goes well this year he could soon have his pick of top roles, and he has one franchise in particular his sights.
“I think a continuation of Indiana Jones would be fantastic, so who knows,” he admits.
Watch this space.
John Boyega was speaking to JOE at the filming of a new celebrity game show by the world’s most popular online poker brand PokerStars.
