5 Jun – Unrest continues to grip America following the wrongful death of Minneapolis man George Floyd. Across the pond, Londoners have also gathered in a massive Black Lives Matter protest at Hyde Park, among them was "Star Wars" star John Boyega. "I'm speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don't know if I'm going to have a career after this, but f*** that," the 28-year-old had said in his emotional speech during the protest. Judging by the support that have been pouring in for him from Hollywood, however, it is safe to say Boyega will continue to have a strong acting career. Disney and Lucasfilm tweeted, via the official "Star Wars" Twitter account, their statement in support of the actor who portrayed Finn in the latest trilogy instalment of the space opera franchise. "John Boyega, you are our hero," the post stated, along with a link to the actor's full speech.
We stand with and support you, @JohnBoyega. View his full speech: http://t.co/Goxb5y2wrK pic.twitter.com/ZvE0t5tRPY - Star Wars (@starwars) June 3, 2020
We stand with and support you, @JohnBoyega. View his full speech: http://t.co/Goxb5y2wrK pic.twitter.com/ZvE0t5tRPY
Matthew Cherry, former American football player turned Oscar-winning filmmaker, was the first to tweet his support for Boyega: "I would work with John Boyega and I urge other Non-Black creators to affirm that they have his back as well." Among those who responded positively to the tweet are "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" producer Christopher Miller, "Birds of Prey" director Cathy Yan, "Get Out" director Jordan Peele, and "Booksmart" helmer, actress Olivia Wilde. Mark Hamill has also praised his "Star Wars" co-star following Boyega's passionate speech. "Never been more proud of you, John," Hamill tweeted, signing off with 'dad' (a reference to their shared "Star Wars" father-son joke) next to a heart emoticon. Since the protests sparked last weekend, Hollywood celebs have shown their support for the movement by either discussing it on social media or joining the protests themselves as done by Tessa Thompson and John Cusack, among others.