John Boyega: Star Wars allowed me to invest in myself
"I always wanted to set up my company but I didn't because I didn't have the funds for it," Boyega tells Sky News.
Wednesday 21 March 2018 16:12, UK
At 26 years old John Boyega is already expanding his CV.
The star, who grew up in London, is best known for playing Finn in the latest Star Wars films, but has now turned his hand to producing as well, setting up his own company UpperRoom Entertainment.
It allowed him to work as both an actor and producer on new film Pacific Rim Uprising - a follow-up to the 2013 original from Guillermo Del Toro.
Boyega told Sky News it was getting the role in Star Wars that allowed him to achieve his dream of producing.
"I always wanted to set up my company but I didn't because I didn't have the funds for it," he said.
"So I waited until that Star Wars cheque cleared and a debt was paid - various T-Mobile phone bills - I waited for that to be cleared until I re-invested in myself."
Boyega said he did his homework before putting the cash in, but still learnt a lot from his experiences as a producer.
"Before any real money gets in to a situation [it's] best you know about it, but I'm still learning as I go along, knowing that there are different ways of doing things and communicating," he said.
"Each producer has their different style, some are involved more than others, just learning how the different dynamics work for me has been the surprising thing."
For Boyega, having his own company has also allowed him to have an impact on how things are run.
For him, tackling a lack of diversity should not be a conversation, but something that is already happening.
"That's why I set up my own production company, making sure you have an influence on casting and several different things - trying to make sure it's not just a conversation, it's also actions, real work," Boyega said.
"The aim is to work to a point where it doesn't have to be this much of a big thing or a big conversation, we should be able to watch things that reflect our world, that have much more interesting choices, and more diverse choices for casting, without it being a debate.
"So for me I'm just working towards that moment in time and doing my little piece."
Pacific Rim Uprising is a return to the world of giant robots versus sea creatures that we saw in the original movie, a visual spectacle full of choreographed fight scenes and plenty of special effects.
"I think it was the opportunity for me to have some form of creative control, to collaborate with the best producers in the industry, but at a close point," Boyega said.
"I wanted to be able to discuss things about the script, about the characters, about the casting, our pre-visuals, our release dates, to be involved in all of that, to have that as a discussion for me just enriches your knowledge as an actor anyway, so I was just attracted to the whole opportunity."
Del Toro - who directed and co-wrote the first film - was tied up with his Oscar-winning passion project Shape Of Water when Pacific Rim Uprising went in to production, and so handed over the reins to Steven S DeKnight.
"[Del Toro] was sending us notes early on, especially when we were homing in on the pre-visuals and the story," Boyega said.
"We needed him, because the first film gave us our basis for our story and so we had to refer back to him for him to give us guidance so that we didn't get anything wrong.
"If there was any kind of connective tissue to the first Pacific Rim it had to be cleared by him because obviously that's his baby and we're expanding on his idea, so the communication was much appreciated, even though he was working on another movie, so it worked out well."
Despite enjoying his debut as producer, Boyega says he's not looking to make the move to another role behind the camera right now.
"I'm cool now, just steady on for me, directing is..I respect directors, I respect what they do," he saod.
"As a producer you have to rely on the creative vision of your director, but at the same time obviously you're there to help advise and help steer them in the right direction, but actually directing is so much more.
"Even as an actor it's just so much more so I would have to be qualified for that, properly."
Pacific Rim Uprising is out in cinemas on 23 March.