Actor John Boyega is once again voicing his frustrations with the Star Wars franchise for being “so white.”
The actor, who played the heroic stormtrooper-turned-Resistance fighter Finn in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, has been vocal about his experiences with racism in the Star Wars universe.
Boyega said Star Wars has always felt like an “elite white” space and suggested some fans felt discomfort when a black actor took on a lead role.
“It’s a franchise that’s so white that a black person existing in [it] was something,” Boyega remarked.
He added that when fans reference Lando Calrissian or Mace Windu as examples of diversity, it feels like tokenism, likening it to “telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough.”
Boyega’s comments also reflect his frustration over how his character, initially set up as one of the leads in The Force Awakens, was sidelined in the following films.
Many fans had hoped to see more of Finn in the final two installments, but Disney opted for a different direction, which Boyega attributes to racial bias.
This isn’t the first time Boyega has expressed discontent with Star Wars.
In a 2020 interview with GQ, he criticized Disney for mishandling the diversity of his character, saying, “Do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are, and then have them pushed to the side.”
Boyega went on to compare the treatment of his character to that of Daisy Ridley’s Rey and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren, saying they were given more depth and focus than he was.
In the new Apple TV+ documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood, Boyega further elaborated on his feelings, explaining that while Star Wars fans were OK with black characters playing supporting roles, the idea of black actors leading the story was met with resistance.
“They’re OK 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,’” Boyega said.
Following his GQ interview, Boyega revealed that a Disney executive reached out to him, leading to a “very honest, very transparent conversation.”
His comments were met with criticism from Star Wars fans, who dismissed his sense of self-importance to the franchise.
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“James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams’ legacies would like a word,” conservative commentator Dana Loesch said. “Literally no one cared when Boyega was cast—except for China. Disney bent the knee and removed him from all promotional materials when promoting TFA. Be a better actor, and you’ll get better roles.”
Boyega’s criticism of the Star Wars franchise comes at a time when Snow White struggled at the box office following actress Rachel Zegler’s politically progressive commentary that some felt negatively affected the brand.