John Boyega has spoken candidly about his experiences with being stopped and searched by police while on his way home from a church service.
The Star Wars actor also revealed he thinks he will not be cast in any further films after his passionate speech at a London protest in June went viral on social media.
John, 28, has been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd in the United States.
George, an unarmed black man, died during an arrest when a police officer was seen kneeling on his neck.
John spoke passionately at a Black Lives Matter protest in June (Image: Getty Images)
Speaking to Radio Times, John revealed he believed casting directors may think he created “too much friction”.
“I still have those thoughts. I understand, looking from the outside in, it might seem, ‘Oh, you’ve been in this and you’ve been in that.’
“But how many actors do you know who have been in big franchises? It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to have stability for the rest of your life.”
The actor says he fears he won’t be cast by directors after his empowering speech (Image: Getty Images)
He added: “And when I was expressing my truth, in my anger, I was like, everyone’s going to see this. I said that, knowing there are helicopters above me.
“You know that moment is going to go global and if I don’t get cast because people or casting directors feel like it’s too much friction for what they’re trying to do… It is what it is.”
The actor revealed he has on occasions been stopped by police officers (Image: Getty Images for Disney)
During his emotional speech, he admitted that he hadn’t been briefed by publicists and spoke “in that moment”.
“To speak out wasn’t a strategic move. It just happened, really,” he said.
The Peckham-born actor also revealed that he has on occasions been stopped and searched by police officers and vividly remembers his father being stopped during his younger years.
“My dad, who was a Pentecostal minister, got stopped on the way back from church, I was little,” he added.
“Everybody knows, especially if you grew up in Peckham, somebody who’s gone through the darkest scenarios with the police. I do. I know a few people.”
Read the full interview in Radio Times, out now.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
