“The Pinnacle of Exclusivity: A Look Inside the Whitest Elite Space” – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
3:18 PM – Tuesday, April 1, 2025
In a recent interview for an Apple TV+ documentary, 33-year-old British actor John Boyega expressed his concerns about the “Star Wars” series, labeling it as “so white.”
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Boyega, best known for portraying “Finn” in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015), has also appeared in “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker.”
“Let me tell you, ‘Star Wars’ has always felt like it belongs to the whitest, elite space. It’s a franchise that’s so predominantly white that having a Black character in it was something extraordinary,” Boyega stated in the documentary.
In addition, Boyega critiqued the fanbase, claiming that they often dismiss the inclusion of Black characters as mere “pandering.”
“You can always tell when some ‘Star Wars’ fans argue, ‘Well, we had Lando Calrissian and Samuel L. Jackson!’ It’s similar to asking how many chocolate chips are in cookie dough. It feels like they just sprinkled them in there!” he remarked.
“They’re fine with us taking on sidekick roles, but once we portray the heroes or take the lead, it’s like, ‘Oh my God, that’s a bit excessive! They’re just pandering,’” Boyega added.
Despite recognizing that his casting was a “pivotal moment” in his career, Boyega has previously criticized Disney for not fully developing diverse characters.
“What I would tell Disney is to avoid introducing a Black character, marketing them as significantly important to the franchise, and then sidelining them. It’s not right. I’ll be straightforward about that,” he said in 2020.
“You knew how to work with Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, but when it came to Kelly Marie Tran and me, you didn’t know anything. So what do you expect me to say? They want you to say, ‘I loved being part of it. It was a wonderful experience…’ No, no, no. I’ll make that statement when it actually was a good experience. They gave all the depth to Adam Driver, all the depth to Daisy Ridley. Let’s be honest: Daisy knows this. Adam knows this. Everyone knows. I’m not revealing anything,” he concluded.
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