Michael Rapaport Criticized For Telling John Boyega To Be "Grateful" For "Star Wars"

BY Erika Marie 15.2K Views
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Michael Rapaport, John Boyega, Twitter, Star Wars
Boyega recently spoke out about how Disney handled his "Star Wars" role, causing Rapaport to weigh in.

After deciding to weigh in on John Boyga's recent comments, Michael Rapaport is catching a bit of backlash. In Boyega's interview with British GQ, the actor challenged Disney to take more responsibility for how they handled his character in Star Wars. He suggested that they promoted his character as being more involved with the storyline than he actually was, pushing him forward for publicity while casting him to the side when faced with adversity and racism. Boyega also spoke of his co-stars of color who faced similar struggles.

Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Staff / Getty Images

Michael Rapaport took to Twitter to speak directly to John Boyega, telling him that what he experienced while on Star Wars isn't anything new. "@JohnBoyega Yo my man you have done so much in such a short period of time. Congrats.. but you ain’t the first actor to have an un nuanced character in a Star Wars movie #beniciodeltoro Welcome to show business. Sh*t doesn’t always go ur way," Rapaport tweeted.

Boyega replied, "Did you read the article ? thanks for the additional name to my list though." In true Rapaport fashion, he came back with another hit. "Ya I read the article. That’s why I tweeted u. It’s show business. Things don’t always work out the way YOU plan.Happens to ALL of Us. Again be grateful for all u done so far which is a lot more than TONS of great actors of all races who also had roles cut down & will continue to."

Things were shut down when Boyega ended things with ":) no. Thanks though." Then, Michael Rapaport faced the wrath of the internet as people fired off messages. Check out a few responses below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.