John Boyega Talks Star Wars, Action Figures and Growing Up A Ministers Son

Via Entertainment Weekly:

Boyega is better about keeping Finn hidden. He can’t say much more about the character, but we did get to discuss a little about the man who plays him. How did a die-hard Star Wars nerd get a chance to join up with a galactic army (even if it’s the wrong side)?

Entertainment Weekly: A lot of people know you from Attack the Block, or 24: Live Another Day. But tell me about you as a person growing up.  Daisy said people say, ‘Oh you and John must get along because you’re from the same town, but she says, ‘No, we’re not, really.’ 

Boyega: [Laughs.] She’s from northwest and I’m from southeast. I grew up in a place called Peckham. I’ve lived there near enough 15 years of my life, and then moved around in the south and went back to Peckham, and grew up there. I was born in Denmark Hill in Camberwell area and was launched into a world of acting, stage, contemporary dance.

EW: And now Star Wars

Boyega: And total shock. I started to [perform] in primary school, so I would’ve been 7 or 8 in my first experience in class. And then a woman called Teresa Early [an artistic director] gave me an opportunity at Theatre Peckham on a scholarship basis to train as an actor. And I was involved in the world of tap dance and all that kind of stuff.

Check out EW.com for the entire interview and a gallery of photos from the set of The Force Awakens.