Page 3 Profile: John Boyega, actor

John Boyega, actor (Getty)

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

…Filmmaker George Lucas created the epic space opera franchise, Star Wars. Now British actor John Boyega is set to star in a new instalment. A complete unknown in Hollywood, Boyega is hardly a household name on this side of the pond either, but that is about to change following director JJ Abrams’ announcement earlier this week revealing the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Have I seen him in anything before?

Born in Peckham to Nigerian parents, Boyega, 22, trained as an actor at the Identity Drama School in Hackney, east London and appeared in the National Theatre production Six Parties in 2009. His big break came in 2011 when he starred in Joe Cornish’s British sci-fi action film, Attack the Block. Boyega played Moses, the leader of a gang of misguided teenagers who become the saviours of their council estate when it is invaded by aliens.

The Force is strong with this one…

Boyega’s love of acting began at a young age. He told Interview magazine in 2011 he realised it was his calling aged five when he played a leopard in a school play: “I gave him character breakdown, and I was doing the work and doing the research and creating a character,” Boyega said. “That is the greatest feeling ever. When you’re young and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is quite cool, and I really, really want to do this.’”

Will he be playing a hero or a villain?

No announcement has been made about the specific parts each of the cast members will but Boyega is rumoured to have bagged a main role. As well as featuring several newcomers, the original crew of the Millennium Falcon will also return for Star Wars: Episode VII, with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill all signed up to the film, which is slated for release next December.