Star Wars actor John Boyega has said he hopes his production company can give opportunities to other hopeful actors from the same background as him.
The Hollywood star, who rocketed to fame as stormtrooper Finn in The Force Awakens and sequel The Last Jedi, founded UpperRoom Productions with his friend and agent Femi Oguns and has produced his latest film Pacific Rim Uprising, a sequel to 2013’s Pacific Rim.
The heart of the world’s greatest hero lives on. Gipsy Avenger reporting for duty! #PacificRimUprising pic.twitter.com/Wyjdy2GihP
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) February 13, 2018
He told the Press Association: “It’s a way of having creative freedom for yourself, I think it’s independently a good business move and then when you think about it long term also as an opportunity for others, it is also a great move as well.
“You create a safe haven of creative ideas that you like, you get to develop things yourself, be involved in the process from early.
“It’s a good existence, rather than the normal actor for hire experience, it gives you an added knowledge.”
Safe to say, Jake’s got some daddy issues. #PacificRimUprising pic.twitter.com/i0Q39SbBEU
— Universal PicturesUK (@universaluk) March 20, 2018
Boyega, 26, who grew up in Peckham, said he hopes the company will provide a platform for other actors like him.
He said: “Growing up the way I did, being discovered the way I was discovered and having to work the way I worked and going through the thing of flying over to LA as a British actor and all that kind of stuff, it’s very important to have a homegrown place where people can get opportunities.”
Boyega said he credits the part-time acting school he went to in London, Identity, for much of his success.
It is also where he met Black Panther star Letitia Wright.
He said: “I really credit it… it was the best thing I could have ever hoped for because each week we were learning something new from various different incredible teachers who had great experience in theatre, film and TV.
“And then it was a place to meet other people who were going through the same exact dream, that is where I met Letitia, now I’m in Star Wars and she’s in Black Panther.
“It’s crazy, what a way to live and be introduced to the hustle of what you want in life and so that place was incredible for me. I had a good old time.”
While Boyega still has another Star Wars film in the pipeline, he is already thinking about future projects.
He said: “On average at my camp we aim two or three years in advance, because of how long these movies take to make.
“So we are thinking about other genres, I love drama, I love drama just as much as I love sci-fi actually, they are two genres that I really love.
“An action thriller would be cool, comedy would be nice, something nice and light. Seth Rogen, call me.”
Pacific Rim Uprising is released in UK cinemas on March 23.