Tom Cruise has never been in a Star Wars movie, but he still managed to leave his mark on the galaxy. As it turns out, we have Cruise to thank for John Boyega landing the role of Finn in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.
During a panel at Emerald City Comic Con, Boyega shared a surprising story about how he was cast. It all started with Cruise being a fan of his breakout film, Attack the Block.
Boyega said, per Popverse: “I’m thankful to Tom Cruise, who loved Attack the Block. He was editing Mission: Impossible at the time with J.J. Abrams. Tom told J.J., ‘You’ve got to watch this kid in Attack the Block‘.”
Abrams took the recommendation seriously, watched the film, and a few years later, Boyega got the call to join Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Attack the Block is a 2011 sci-fi horror film about a group of teenagers in South London defending their neighborhood from an alien invasion. It’s a great movie that you have to watch if you’ve never seen it!
Boyega, in his first feature role, played the lead, Moses, a street-smart teen who rises to the occasion in the face of an extraterrestrial threat. The film was directed by Joe Cornish and became a cult favorite and established Boyega as a rising star.
Even with a Star Wars trilogy under his belt, plus roles in Pacific Rim: Uprising, The Woman King, and They Cloned Tyrone, Attack the Block remains one of Boyega’s most beloved projects. Not only did it showcase his talent early on, but it also caught the attention of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Getting a personal recommendation from Tom Cruise has got to be pretty awesome!
Daisy Ridley is already set to return as Rey in a new Star Wars film, but there’s been no official word on whether Boyega will reprise his role as Finn, but he has said that he is open to the idea, saying:
“I’m open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached and a terrific director. So yeah, I’m open to all opportunities.”
So, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. But, it’s pretty cool that Cruise recognized Boyega’s talent and got Abrams to watch his film.
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