Star Wars Talk

With Star Wars: The Last Jedi available to take home on Blu-ray, DVD and digital this month, we take a look back at our f irst-ever chat with JOHN BOYEGA. Here, just before launching his role as Finn in 2015’s The Force Awakens, he tells us about hanging out with Harrison Ford, what he’d steal from George Lucas’ place and much, much more…

- Ben Mckelvey

Hey Jon, tell us about the call letting you know that you’d be playing Finn.

Well, I actually met [The Force Awakens director] J.J. Abrams in a restaurant in Mayfair, London and that’s when he told me I was going to get the part. He was there with Larry Kasdan (Force Awakens writer, Lawrence Kasdan) and Larry was there for support and he told me about the audition process so far, how everything has gone and how excited he is. After that he just broke it to me that I was going to be the new star of Star Wars.

And then?

And then the world froze for that split second and it was one of the most touching moments in my life.

Did you know it was going to happen?

Well, I went through seven months of reading and auditioning for the part and thought there must be a reason why they keep asking me back so many times. I felt I had developed a really good Finn for them to choose from, my confidence was definitely growing, and J.J. and I got on really well, too. But yeah, nothing prepares you for when they actually tell you.

How did you celebrate the news? Big night out with your mates?

No, not at all, I actually spent time with my family and just took it all in. It was just such a crazy shock, man. I had no idea I was going to hear that news. It was a random meeting where J.J. just told me to come to this restaurant and next thing you know I’m in one of the biggest movie franchises ever.

Once they told you, was there one thing you were looking forward to most about playing Finn.