John Boyega talks Star Wars: The Force Awakens

You’ve all seen it. The opening scene in the first Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. A black man in a Stormtrooper’s armor popped up on screen and the Star Wars faniverse imploded. Sadly, there were plenty of racist remarks about the color of John Boyega’s skin, but more interestingly, there was a larger conversation about the fact that J.J. Abrams was no longer using Clones as troopers.

Since that fateful day (the airing of the first TFA trailer), John Boyega has taken his role in The Force Awakens, and ran with it…no literally he is running in every scene, it seems. Perhaps his shining moment was during the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, earlier this month, when he told a story to the packed room at The Force Awakens Panel, describing how his own Star Wars fandom got the better of him, and he asked Harrison Ford to sign his Han Solo doll.

Later that day, Boyega and Daisy Ridley donned Star Wars masks and walked the floor of the Celebration, anonymously enjoying the sheer magnitude of fans and fansanity that inhabits a convention of this nature.

Entertainment Weekly, in their on-going series of interviews with the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, sat down with Mr. Boyega and talked to him about the newest movie in the Star Wars franchise…as well as other topics.

Mentioning Boyega’s fandom moment with Harrison Ford, EW asked the actor if he had seen his own action figure yet.

"“I haven’t! I haven’t seen any action figure, but I know we’ve done some scanning and some molding, so I know that my face may just pop up on a shelf somewhere.”"

EW then asked Boyega about his experience versus his expectation coming into the Star Wars Celebration.

"“There’s nothing like experiencing Star Wars Celebration Day. There’s just nothing like it. The love, the enthusiasm, the joy.”"

Then there’s his most favorite moment from being on stage at The Force Awakens Panel.

"“You know what stuck with me was the moment when we all came together and took the photos together [at the end.] It’s just so symbolic.”"

Boyega goes on to talk about how the new generation and the old coming together to take an amazing photo, was historical and symbolic. He talks about continuing the legacy of the original trilogy, and how that’s what Star Wars is really about. And then the surreal moment, while he’s standing on the stage, and he looked to either side.

"“I’m seeing Daisy, I’m seeing Mark Hamill, I’m seeing Carrie Fisher, and I’m like, where am I? So that was amazing.”"

It’s always exciting to see a new actor completely embrace the Star Wars universe. Often times, Hollywood will cast an actor who has no idea about the story behind the project they are filming. This interview serves to prove that J.J. Abrams is getting everything right with the casting of The Force Awakens, as well as story telling and continuing legacy of such an iconic franchise.

Next: Oscar Isaac talks BB-8 and other Star Wars: The Force Awakens News