John Boyega was a rising star long before he landed the role of Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. However, since his final appearance as a member of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker‘s cast, Boyega has gone on to have a very successful acting career outside the galaxy far, far away. Audiences will remember Boyega for playing Finn, a former stormtrooper turned Resistance member who worked closely alongside Rey Skywalker, Poe Dameron, and Rose Tico.

It’s not currently clear if John Boyega has any interest in returning to the Star Wars galaxy, but there are rumors he may return for Star Wars: New Jedi Order, which will also see the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. John Boyega has also been very outspoken about Disney’s mistreatment of his character since the end of the sequel trilogy, meaning it may be less likely for audiences to see Finn once again. However, we can always hope that Star Wars will set things right and that we will see the return of one of the sequel Star Wars trilogy’s most beloved characters.

Despite John Boyega’s rise to fame in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it’s become clear that his talent knows no bounds. The British actor has taken on some amazing roles since appearing in Star Wars, many of which have earned him critical acclaim. While many people may only know John Boyega as Finn, there are plenty of incredible acting roles of his to see.

7

Naked Singularity (2021)

Casi

Boyega’s first film role following The Rise of Skywalker was starring as Casi in the comedy Naked Singularity. Boyega’s character is a young lawyer who is fed up with his inability to actually help people. Though Boyega’s portrayal of Casi was praised by critics, the film overall received negative reviews, scoring just 28% on Rotten Tomatoes.

6

Small Axe (2020)

Leroy Logan

John Boyega was featured in one episode of Steve McQueen’s anthology series Small Axe. The role landed Boyega multiple award nominations, including the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in Television. Boyega’s episode, “Red, White, and Blue,” is largely considered a film within the anthology. Boyega’s character, Leroy Logan, is an officer in London’s Metropolitan Police who created the Black Police ᴀssociation, which pushed for systemic reform from within the police force.

The film is based on the real-life Leroy Logan, who was a successful forensic researcher before joining the police force. “Red, White, and Blue” showcases the mistreatment of Logan at the hands of his other officers and the inherent racism he fought on a day-to-day basis. In addition to his Golden Globe win, Boyega won a Critics Choice Award, and was nominated for a Satellite Award, British Academy Television Award, and a Hollywood Critics ᴀssociation TV Award.

5

Tomorrow’s Monsters (2021)

John Locke

In 2021, John Boyega stepped into a new medium: podcasts. Tomorrow’s Monsters is a psychological crime thriller that has Boyega voicing the main character, John Locke. Locke is a conman who infiltrates a company looking to uncover the truth about an app that helps users eliminate sleep. The podcast is meant to be an immersive experience, and has some other big names attached to the project, like Darren Criss and Clark Gregg.

4

Breaking (2022)

Lance Corporal Brian Brown-Easley

In Breaking, John Boyega took on the role of Lance Corporal Brian Brown-Easley, a former marine who robs a bank after systemic failure that led to Brown-Easley not receiving his $892 check from the VA. The film is based on real events which were originally detailed and published in a 2018 article called “They Didn’t Have to Kill Him” by Aaron Gell. John Boyega also acted as a producer on the film, which received a rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.

3

The Woman King (2022)

King Ghezo

In 2022’s The Woman King, John Boyega brought to life the character of King Ghezo, one of the few characters in the film based on a real-life person. King Ghezo is the ruler of the Dahomey people in 1823, when the film takes place.

For his role, John Boyega received an NAACP Image Award nomination, though the film as a whole received dozens of nominations across award shows, ultimately walking away with 16 wins. The Woman King has been criticized for the film’s historical inaccuracies, particularly about how the real Dohomey people sold other Africans into the slave trade.

2

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Fontaine/Old Fontaine/Chester/Tyrone

They Cloned Tyrone is a science-fiction comedy mystery that sees John Boyega take on multiple roles. The film follows one of Boyega’s characters, Fontaine, along with Slick (Jamie Foxx) and Yo-Yo (Teyonah Paris), uncovering a government cloning experiment on Black populations. Boyega not only played multiple characters but also had to face off against himself within the film, making this the ultimate film for John Boyega lovers. They Cloned Tyrone is hilarious and landed an impressive 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

1

World War II: From The Frontlines (2023)

Narrator

John Boyega lent his voice to narrate the six-episode documentary World War II: From the Frontlines. The series, which is available on Netflix, showcases digitally enhanced footage and voices from World War II. The series brings together voices from both sides of the conflict, with each episode focusing on a different year of the war.

It’s worth mentioning that John Boyega is also an accomplished stage actor; his last on-stage role was in 2017, when he portrayed the тιтular Woyzeck. The play was a more modern adaptation of Georg Büchner’s unfinished 1836 play. With all of this in mind, it’s clear that John Boyega is a true force to be reckoned with. While the actor hasn’t appeared in anything since 2023, it won’t be long before audiences see him grace our screens once again, especially since he has three films currently in pre-production.

With all the wonderful work Boyega’s taken on since The Rise of Skywalker, it’s clear there’s no need for Boyega to return to Star Wars. However, Finn is such a loved character who deserved a better ending. Hopefully, Boyega agrees to appear in New Jedi Order and give audiences a satisfying ending to Finn’s story. It’s also possible that Rey may just reference what happened to other sequel trilogy characters like Finn and Poe in throwaway lines in the film. Either way, we’ll happily watch anything John Boyega stars in, even if it’s not in Star Wars.

John Boyega

Birthdate

March 17, 1992

Birthplace

Peckham, London, England, UK

Notable Projects

Pacific Rim: Uprising, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi