John Boyega Explains How His Approach To Finn is Different With The Last Jedi

Prior to the release of The Force Awakens, fans had very little knowledge of who the character […]

November 9, 2017, 5:23pm

Prior to the release of The Force Awakens, fans had very little knowledge of who the character “Finn” was and how his dynamic would tie into the rest of the film. The marketing team behind the film also gave their best efforts to throw audiences off, leaning into the character’s heroic nature to allow Rey become the more surprising lead character.

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With the film going on to earn more than $2 billion worldwide, Finn, played by John Boyega, became a fan-favorite character for a variety of reasons. Considering how heroic many of the main characters are when introduced in the saga, he’s one of the few heroes who wonders what he’s gotten himself into and often feels as though he’s in over his head.

When speaking with Entertainment Weekly recently, Boyega detailed exactly what it was like to return to the world of Star Wars to film The Last Jedi, now that the entire world recognized him as his new character.

“A weird déjà vu…”

Entering a franchise that the actor held so near to his heart was clearly a challenge that he had to overcome, especially considering how many scenes he shared with the iconic Harrison Ford as Han Solo. Luckily, this wasn’t as for the actor’s second portrayal of the character.

“The second one was like coming home in a strange way going through a weird déjà vu, but this time you’re more comfortable,” the actor revealed.

Although the initial shock of being in a Star Wars film might have slightly subsided, the cast was presented with all new challenges.

Boyega confessed, “You’re settled in your character and you’re ready to go, but it was definitely different because now you’re known as Finn and there’s Rey and you’re just part of the culture in a strange way.”

“Rey is handling all the stress of life…”

Luckily for Boyega, his experience with the franchise and excitement over the opportunity to have a role in the film helped him develop his character before the cameras even began rolling.

“During the auditions I found that my niche for this character was definitely in the more humor and fear,” says Boyega. “So he just represents us in the film — just finally having a Star Wars character that goes, ‘This is really dangerous.’ Finn is a part of myself, just magnified a tad. And it was fun to do that. It was just hilarious because while Rey is handling all the stress of life, I get to just run around and do all the cool stuff and say all the cool lines and have fun.”

That dynamic between Rey and Finn is exactly what led to the film’s success, which we should expect to see more of in The Last Jedi.

More Star Wars

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second film in the new Star Wars sequel trilogy that began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. The film will deal with Luke training Rey to become a, and possibly the last, Jedi. Meanwhile, the Resistance, including Poe Dameron and First Order defector Finn, continues to fight against the First Order, led by General Hux, while Supreme Leader Snoke and his Dark Side follower Kylo Ren continue their mysterious plot.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.

The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15.