Biography

While filming Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017), he went to a strict diet and training regime. One day, he went to Carrie Fisher's trailer, telling her that he was fed up with eating healthy. She then offered him some candy that she had stashed inside her fridge. John compared that experience to walking right into a candy store. After that, he would often visit Fisher's trailer for occasional "cheat days".

One of the reasons J.J. Abrams cast him as Finn in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) was because of his performance in the sci-fi/action/comedy Attack the Block (2011). Abrams is a big fan of the film.

In 2012, he went to a meeting at the Bad Robot studio. While he was waiting in the lobby, he saw J.J. Abrams and Tom Cruise walking out of an editing room. Upon seeing him, Abrams asked "Boyega, right?", which resulted in a small conversation. Abrams said that he was a huge fan of Attack the Block (2011) (John's first film) and added "We're gonna get you in something". However, John was rather starstruck by Cruise and paid little attention to what Abrams just said. In 2014, he was cast in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), which was directed by J.J. Abrams. When Tom Cruise met John again at the Baftas, he asked "So, Star Wars, huh?", to which John happily replied "Yeah, mate".

Auditioned for the role of Eggsy in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), and was one of the three finalists along with Taron Egerton, who won the role.

The son of Nigerian immigrants; his father is a Pentecostal preacher and his mother works with the disabled.

Attack the Block (2011) is an alien invasion film set in South London. It's about a group of kids who are some petty thugs, who have to find the hero in themselves, when they attack.

I remember my manager telling me, 'Be myself, be humble, keep rooted, keep God first'. Those words were very helpful.

My dad is a minister, and my mum is a worker with the less fortunate and the disabled. They're Nigerian natives. Their first language is Yoruba, and their second language is English.

My dad's a Pentecostal minister, meaning that he's full of charisma. If he's telling a story about Noah's ark, you best know each tiger is going to be having their own little conversation and narrative.

Acting careers don't come out fully formed - not unless your name is Jaden Smith and your dad has done it all.