Ten Things You Should Know About John Boyega

Get to know the Star Wars VII star before he blows up.

John Boyega - Three years after his attention-grabbing debut in the cult sci-fi film Attack the Block, this British actor has landed the role of a lifetime in the upcoming installment of the Star Wars franchise. Though his star is rising in Hollywood, most film fans don't know much about this UK import. Here are 10 things you should know about John Boyega.(Photos from left: Ian Gavan/Getty Images, LucasFilm)

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John Boyega - Three years after his attention-grabbing debut in the cult sci-fi film Attack the Block, this British actor has landed the role of a lifetime in the upcoming installment of the Star Wars franchise. Though his star is rising in Hollywood, most film fans don't know much about this UK import. Here are 10 things you should know about John Boyega.(Photos from left: Ian Gavan/Getty Images, LucasFilm)

He's From Across the Pond - Boyega was born in the Peckham neighborhood of London to Nigerian parents. He showed an aptitude for acting at an early age, taking part in school plays.  (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

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He's From Across the Pond - Boyega was born in the Peckham neighborhood of London to Nigerian parents. He showed an aptitude for acting at an early age, taking part in school plays. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

His First Love Is Theater - Boyega landed his first major role when he was a performing arts student at South Thames College, where he played the lead in Othello in 2010. Boyega trained at Hackney’s Identity Drama School and performed in various theater productions around London. (Photo: John Boyega via Instagram)

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His First Love Is Theater - Boyega landed his first major role when he was a performing arts student at South Thames College, where he played the lead in Othello in 2010. Boyega trained at Hackney’s Identity Drama School and performed in various theater productions around London. (Photo: John Boyega via Instagram)

He's One in 1,500 - After auditioning over 1,500 kids to star in his 2011 pulp sci-fi invasion film Attack the Block, director Joe Cornish found his leading man in Boyega. The actor, then 17, had no experience performing in front of the camera. “I was just blown away by [his] talent and commitment and passion and enthusiasm and sense of humor,” Cornish said.  (Photo: Liam Daniel/Screen Gems)

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He's One in 1,500 - After auditioning over 1,500 kids to star in his 2011 pulp sci-fi invasion film Attack the Block, director Joe Cornish found his leading man in Boyega. The actor, then 17, had no experience performing in front of the camera. “I was just blown away by [his] talent and commitment and passion and enthusiasm and sense of humor,” Cornish said. (Photo: Liam Daniel/Screen Gems)

John Boyega - After his debut performance as tough teen Moses in Attack the Block, the British-Nigerian actor has caught the attention of every major director in Hollywood. Eventually, it's Spike Lee that got him for his upcoming HBO series Da Brick, in which Boyega stars as a character loosely based on Mike Tyson.  (Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images)

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Spike's a Fan - Spike Lee immediately became a fan of Boyega's after seeing the young actor in Attack the Block. Lee cast Boyega to play a boxer, inspired by Mike Tyson, in his HBO series Da Brick. Unfortunately, the project never went into production.   (Photo: Getty Images)

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He's in Good Company - Boyega is represented by the same agents who made Jennifer Lawrence, Mila Kunis, Rosario Dawson and Miley Cyrus stars.  (Photo: John Boyega via Instagram) 

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He's in Good Company - Boyega is represented by the same agents who made Jennifer Lawrence, Mila Kunis, Rosario Dawson and Miley Cyrus stars. (Photo: John Boyega via Instagram) 

He's Indie at Heart - Don't let the mega-franchise on his filmography fool you — Boyega is dedicated as ever to making challenging, independent films. In recent years, the actor starred in Half a Yellow Sun,  the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel of the same name, and 2014’s Imperial Dreams.   (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Jameson)

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He's Indie at Heart - Don't let the mega-franchise on his filmography fool you — Boyega is dedicated as ever to making challenging, independent films. In recent years, the actor starred in Half a Yellow Sun,  the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel of the same name, and 2014’s Imperial Dreams.  (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Jameson)

He's Made Sacrifices - The actor had to pick and choose his roles. Boyega had to drop out of playing the lead in the upcoming Jesse Owens biopic, Race, to make himself available for Star Wars VII.   (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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He's Made Sacrifices - The actor had to pick and choose his roles. Boyega had to drop out of playing the lead in the upcoming Jesse Owens biopic, Race, to make himself available for Star Wars VII.   (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

He'll Be Working With Legends - As if landing the biggest role of his career isn’t enough, Boyega will share the screen with some Stars Wars legends. Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford are all onboard to reprise their iconic roles as Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in Episode VII, which will be set thirty years after 1983’s Return of the Jedi.    (Photo: WENN.com)

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He'll Be Working With Legends - As if landing the biggest role of his career isn’t enough, Boyega will share the screen with some Stars Wars legends. Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford are all onboard to reprise their iconic roles as Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in Episode VII, which will be set thirty years after 1983’s Return of the Jedi.   (Photo: WENN.com)

Mark Your Calendars - Be prepared to see a lot more of Boyega by the time Star Wars VII comes out in December 2015. The actor is poised to become a breakthrough star. May the force be with him!  (Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

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Mark Your Calendars - Be prepared to see a lot more of Boyega by the time Star Wars VII comes out in December 2015. The actor is poised to become a breakthrough star. May the force be with him! (Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images