In the aftermath of the harassment Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram recently endured, John Boyega has revisited his own experiences after being cast as Finn, a Stormtrooper turned hero, in The Force Awakens. Like Ingram, he endured ire from toxic, racist fans, and in an interview with Men’s Health, Boyega was asked if he received any studio support. “Hell no,” he said. “I’m the one that brought this to the freaking forefront.”
Similarly, his Last Jedi co-star Kelly Marie Tran also experienced toxic fan backlash — and both saw their characters shifted into more supporting roles by the time Rise of Skywalker closed out the new trilogy. Lucasfilm was heavily scrutinised for not doing more to address the racism among its fans or the trauma its stars endured, and for not doing the characters justice. “At least the people going into it now, after my time, [they’re] cool,” Boyega said on his reaction to seeing Lucasfilm stand behind Ingram. He felt his experience played a role in the studio being more protective of its talent from marginalised backgrounds, adding that he sees they’re “going to make sure you’re well supported and at least you [now] go through this franchise knowing that everybody is going to have [your] back. I’m glad I talked out everything at that time.”
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