JOHN BOYEGA Says He has MOVED ON from Being FINN of Disney’s “STAR WARS” Films

Some unsubstantiated superstition would have it that actors and actresses risk something happening to their careers when they get involved in “Star Wars.” Fans might note that some of the main cast in the original trilogy, like Mark Hamill (until he voiced the Joker) and the late Carrie Fisher, did not figure much in movies afterwards. The same might apply to prequel star Hayden “Anakin” Christensen. The “next-gen” cast of the Disney-produced “Sequel Trilogy” had had it worse however, no thanks to rabid “orthodox” fans and dangerous racially-charged detractors. Whatever the case, it does seem that John Boyega wants nothing more to do with it.

As Variety tells it, British-Nigerian actor John Boyega has recently reiterated on social media that he has “moved on” from his role as First Order trooper FN-2187/Finn in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy of Episodes VII through IX. In an Instagrampost, dated last week, showing his return to acting (during the COVID pandemic in the UK), Boyega replied that sentiment near-verbatim when a fan commented that he wanted the Finn character to return in a future “Star Wars” film. “Not into playing one role for too long,” Boyega wrote further. “I have more to offer than that. That’s all.”

Audiences might recall how, in Episode VII “The Force Awakens,” trailers seemed to hint that Finn, a disillusioned storm-trooper of the Empire remnant the First Order, looked like he was the one to inherit the lightsaber of missing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), even using it to fight Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren. Certain critics felt that a (fictional) character of African-American features taking up the weapon of an iconic (white) character was troublesome. Then the actual movie revealed that the saber would go to Daisy Ridley’s Rey instead. Following sequels also had fans slamming Finn’s relationship with another divisive character, Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose.

To say that the “Star Wars” sequel films were a hotbed of arguments is an understatement, which might be why John Boyega just wants to concentrate on new projects beyond it, like the BBC TV series “Small Axe” which he had resumed work on. Even his opinion on the trilogy is somewhat non-committal, with how he reacted to another fan describing his movies as “embarrassing.” Aside from TV, he also has an upcoming movie, “Naked Singularity” from Scott Free Productions, currently in post with (understandably) no final release date yet.

Aside from the Disney films, the Finn character also appears on several “Star Wars” animated shorts with Boyega voicing him.

Image courtesy of Cinema Blend