John Boyega is a British-Nigerian movie star who has enjoyed a very commendable rise to fame in the last decade. After training at the Identity School of Acting, his career officially began in 2011. Since then, John Boyega has starred in a plethora of movies, from independent critical darlings to box office hits.
Boyega is set to star in the upcoming sci-fi comedy, They Cloned Tyrone. The movie, which also features Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx, has been widely anticipated for quite some time. Boyega has also promised that the movie is “a new vibe entirely,” which, alongside a visually striking trailer, has equally raised expectations. Nonetheless, there’s no doubt he will deliver a fine job, as evidenced by his fantastic performances in other projects.
In anticipation of his upcoming Netflix film, we've shared five of his best movie performances to date. Check them out below.
5. Breaking (2022)
In the 2022 thriller Breaking, John Boyega delivered a masterful, suspenseful performance. Breaking is based on the story of real-life Marine Corps veteran, Brian Brown-Easley, who robs a bank due to intense financial pressures. The movie also hits hard as viewers get to watch Michael K. Williams in his final role before his death. Boyega is nonetheless the star of the project, showing off his intense acting chops as a father at the end of his rope. In addition to this, due to his gritty performance in Breaking, Boyega earned comparisons to none other than Denzel Washington.
4. Detroit (2017)
Detroit might not have succeeded at the box office, but it is one of John Boyega’s most acclaimed movies. Backed by an ensemble cast of both young and veteran actors, Boyega holds his own brilliantly. Detroit is a retelling of the infamous Algiers Motel incident during the 12th Street Riot of 1967. He stars as Melvin Dismukes, the security guard on duty that fateful night who was later found not guilty of felonious assault. The real-life Dismukes went on to praise the film for its accuracy, and Boyega’s performance was met with widespread praise.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
John Boyega joined the billion-dollar box office gang after signing on to join the Star Wars sequel movies. In 2015, he appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first in the sequel's trilogy. Boyega’s casting was widely lauded, but came with a heap of racial backlash online. The actor has also gone on record to call out Disney for snubbing Black actors and pushing them to the side. However, despite the criticisms, the actor delivered a phenomenal performance that boosted the overall critical and commercial reception of the film. He starred as Finn, and as expected, brought a perfect dose of intense seriousness and comedic charm to the role. His casting was revealed to be aided by his performance in Attack the Block, released two years before production for Star Wars kicked off.
2. Attack the Block (2011)
In 2011, a then-unknown John Boyega landed his first movie role as Moses in the British comedy horror, Attack the Block. Boyega came swinging with an equal part hilarious and dramatic performance in his debut appearance in film. Over the years, Attack the Block has been acclaimed as a cult classic British favorite. Boyega’s role as a street-smart teenage gang leader was also lauded by fans and critics alike and put him on the map. Attack the Block received numerous awards after its release, and kickstarted the instant rise of Boyega’s career as a formidable movie star. A decade later, director Joe Cornish revealed that a sequel was in the works, and Boyega is set to reprise his role as Moses.
1. The Woman King (2022)
John Boyega has shown off his versatility in a number of movies. However, in the 2022 epic period film, The Woman King, the actor brought a heap of seriousness to the role. The Woman King follows a reimagining of the story of the all-female warriors of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. In the movie, Boyega stars as King Ghezo, the real-life ruler in the 1800s. While The Woman King was criticized for its instances of historical inaccuracy, the movie was lauded for its action scenes, striking choreography, and impressive performances of the actors.