Words: India Gladstone
John Boyega’s life changed when he was cast as stormtrooper Finn in the $2 billion-generating new Star Wars film. Now he’s received the Chopard Trophy, an award that highlights the best young acting talent, joining alumni such as Marion Cotillard, Jack O’Connell and Léa Seydoux.
“I turned down roles before (I found out I had got) Star Wars. It was a risk. I was just hoping that calling me back so many times was a good sign.”
“Success feels good, but I don’t react; it’s a slow burn. I’ll know how it feels in the next two to three years. I appreciate it for its work potential, too. Thereare more interesting places to go that I haven’t been to before.”
“It feels very, very good to win the Chopard Trophy! I’ve never been to the Cannes Film Festival before and it’s been a truly great experience.”
“Star Wars is all about craft. It was intense, but the seven-month audition process proved that, while it might be a huge movie, it needs a process, too. You have to work at it like any other film.”
“I went to theatre school at a very young age and took Guildhall speech exams to work on my pronunciation. It started out as a hobby but, as I got older, I realised what I loved was acting.”
“After I was told I got the role, I was filming the next day – straight on set.”
“Aside from the Episode VIII, I filmed The Circle with Tom Hanks and I’m doing Watership Down with killer-ass rabbits. It’s phenomenal.”
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