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Film Industry Rallies Around John Boyega Following Speech At Black Lives Matter Protest
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The film industry has rallied around John Boyega after he gave an impassioned speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in London.
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The actor, famed for his role as Finn in the most recent Star Wars trilogy, broke down in tears when he addressed crowds at the Black Lives Matter rally at Hyde Park yesterday (Wednesday), delivering a powerful speech and leading the crowd in a chant of 'no justice, no peace'.
During the speech, the 28-year-old said: "I'm speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don't know if I'm going to have a career after this, but f*** that."
However, it seems if anything his passionate protest has far from ended his career in the film industry - the team behind Star Wars backed the actor in a tweet, describing him as 'our hero'.
The post read: "Lucasfilm stands with John Boyega and his message that 'Now is the time. Black lives have always mattered. Black lives have always been important. Black lives have always meant something.'
"The evil that is racism must stop. We will commit to being part of the change that is long overdue in the world. John Boyega, you are our hero."
We stand with and support you, @JohnBoyega. View his full speech: https://t.co/Goxb5y2wrK pic.twitter.com/ZvE0t5tRPY
- Star Wars (@starwars) June 3, 2020
Star Wars legend Mark Hamill also showed his support for Boyega, along with Jordan Peele, JK Rowling, Charlie Brooker and many more.
I would work with John Boyega and I urge other Non-Black creators to affirm that they have his back as well. https://t.co/SqXgmIS5aR
- Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) June 3, 2020
Happy to work with you any time, John :clap::clap::clap: https://t.co/mvxz4CQtdi
- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 3, 2020
Never been more proud of you, John. @JohnBoyega
:heart:, dad https://t.co/XcXvBcblPG
- Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) June 3, 2020
I would crawl through a barrel of broken glass to have John Boyega even so much as *glance* at one of my scripts. https://t.co/0bcLeldaEg
- Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) June 3, 2020
We got you, John. https://t.co/oX7Rr52omx
- Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) June 3, 2020
I would work with John Boyega and I urge other Non-Black creators to affirm that they have his back as well. https://t.co/SqXgmIS5aR
- Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) June 3, 2020
The protest echoed similar rallies across the globe, following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. White officer Derek Chauvin had pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for eight minutes ad 46 seconds while Floyd was handcuffed, lying face down in the street.
Speaking in Hyde Park, Boyega said: "Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process - we don't know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don't know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we're going to make sure that won't be an alien thought to our young ones.
"I need you to understand how painful this s*** is. I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing, and that isn't the case anymore - that was never the case."
It was announced yesterday (3 June) that Chauvin's charge has been elevated to second degree murder, while three other officers will also face charges.
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: Star Wars, Black Lives Matter, TV and Film, Celebrity
