October 24, 2025 • 12 mins
John Boyega has legendary status for his ability to say that he’s fought with a lightsaber, stood up to the Empire, and been an integral part of a brand-new generation of sci-fi.
John shot to fame as former stormtrooper Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and has since carved out an incredible reputation as an actor, producer, activist and storyteller with real purpose.
This weekend, John is in New Zealand for the Armageddon Expo’s massive 30th anniversary event, and he caught up with Jack Tame ahead of the convention.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
John Boyeger has a legendary status for his ability to
say he has fought the Lightsaber, stood up to the Empire,
and been an integral part of a brand new generation
of Sci Fi and Star Wars stars. He shot to
famous former stormtroop of Finn in the Star Wars sequel
trilogy and has since carved out an amazing career as
(00:33):
an actor, producer, activist, and storyteller with real purpose. This weekend,
John is in New Zealand for the Armaged Exposed Massive
thirtieth anniversary event, and I caught up with him just
before he flew out to our shores.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
John, Good morning, how are you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I'm very well, thank you, delighted to be speaking with
you and delighted that you are making your way to
New Zealand. Have you been to New Zealand before?
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I've never been me, never never been, so I'm very
very excited to go down there.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's one of those places that you only really come
here if you're coming here on the way too many places,
you know.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was saying.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
But hence why I've alreadys dreamed of having a chance
to come out to New Zealand. To be honest with you, ever,
sence Lord of the Rings and Chronicles, not I'm coming
in with the more film esque kind of nostalgia.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
When it comes, I can't wait. I can't wait to.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
See it, superb. Hey, well, what are these events like
from your perspective? Because Armor given to us is the
kind of the mecca fan event for you know, for
New Zealanders. But but what is it like when you're
there and you come to a place like New Zealand.
Does it give you a new appreciation for the scale
(01:45):
of fandom and you know, the parts of the world
in which you are a huge name.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I think it's it's yet to be normal to me
to be recognized by people who are so far away,
especially from where I grew up and my stomping ground.
So to be in a position where you can come
into a new territory, especially as far as New Zealand,
and someone knows your name and knows your work and
appreciates your work, I think that is This is something
(02:16):
that I actually don't get over, to be fair, I
don't get over that when I leave London and go
down the street and they do that, you know, so
talkless of New Zealand. I mean, it's it's it's shocking
to see, but just speaks to the fandom.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
You know. They love what they love wherever they are.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Do you like it? Do you like it when people
come up to you and say, hey, John, John Dale,
I loved you on this, and you're sort of thinking, oh,
I can just keep to myself here. I'm just going about.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
My in general. In general.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
In general, I do and I definitely appreciate it. But
as you know, every individual case is different. It just
depends on the people and their approach and what I'm doing.
You know, I've got you know, some sandwich in my mouth,
and I'm eating with families quite different than him.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I'm just out and about, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah, So I've met, I've met I've met people in
all different types of circumstances and most of the time
they are absolutely just amazing.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And I suppose when you're not again and like you
just you pick your moments for the sandwich, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Exactly, pick your moment. It's not about the sandwich. Yeah,
because I'm curious, I'm always. I also, I'm at a
point where I do want people to stay tuned into
the work that I do. So events like arm again
and it brings fans together, and otherwise I wouldn't have
seen them. I'd only know them through the screen. And
I think a more intimate experience with the people you
(03:32):
enjoy and the projects you enjoy, it's pretty cool for
both parties.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
How well invested in the Star Wars universe were you
before you signed onto the films.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I was really just a really big fan of it,
really invested. But just as a fan, I loved the
creative I loved dog George Lucas did with curating your
own story, producing it, getting it out there, pushing it out,
and just creating something so huge and the way one
thing led to another for him was amazing. And I
(04:04):
was one of those many kids that we're impacted by
that effort with the with the Brandy. I grew up
in the prequels, but then after that went back to
the originals and then start in the sequels.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
So it's a fan's dream, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean it really is. I just feel like
there can be few, you know, few franchises in the
world that have anything like the Star Wars following. So,
how do you like, how do you look at the
fandom for Star Wars now that you've been both a
fan and a star. How has that experience kind of
(04:41):
changed your perspective?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Oh, you kind of know the inner workings of of
Star Wars a bit more obviously when you when you
work on it. But it validates really and truly my
reason for loving the film so much and loving Star
Wars so much, to be honest, because there's so many.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Amazing people buying the scenes.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Unspoken for that do such magnificent work, and if they didn't,
then we wouldn't appreciates Star Wars in the way in
which we do. So give you a new appreciation for
the system and how everything kind of has to come together,
how we all have to collaborate from different teams. I mean,
the actors know how much work you've done, and then
to be behind the scenes to witness it. It just
(05:22):
makes you appreciate filmmaking and being part of one of
the biggest space operas of all time.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Me.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, that's a good way of thinking about Today. I'm
speaking to actor John Boyega, who played Finn and Star
Wars the Force Awakens, he is coming to New Zealand
for arm Again. I'm sure you're asked about this all
the time, but I think you made a really conscious
decision to hear both your appreciation for the for the
(05:50):
franchise and the series, but also some of your criticism
from your perspective of Star Wars. And you made the
comments and number one on the call sheet in which
you talked about Star Wars being I think you said
it was, you know, the most white elite space. And yeah,
I suppose making comments like that are pretty brave for
(06:11):
anyone to be making. So can you talk us through
your thought process? Why did you decide to speak out
as you did.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I don't think I don't think it's brave at all.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Everybody that works on Star Wars are rich, wealthy individuals
that are tasked with to tell the story of Star
Wars and Luke and all the characters that come in.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I think it's just all saying what it is.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
I mean, there's not a lot of other people in
that level, especially since nineteen seventy seven, that are behind
the scenes of Star Wars and push the creative.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
So I'm just saying what's visible.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Everybody knows that there are Star Wars has came out
at a very interesting time, and the addition of actors
of color and various other people into this has always
been a conversation. So I think, me, it's just more
so making sure everybody's in actings if they don't see
what is very visible, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, yeah, I suppose The reason that struck me as
being braver is that I can imagine, you know, there
is the potential for a backlash, whether it's from fans
or whether it's from people in the industry or someone
like that. Given people feel so strongly about Star Wars.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I wondered that the documentary was filmed a couple of
years ago, actually only just recently came out, so timeline wise,
is pretty much the same thing I was saying from
when Star Wars was released and I was able to
speak about it.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Honestly, it just so.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Happened that that documentary came out a bit later, so
people still think it's on the same topic, and honestly,
the whole conversation has moved on, moved on from that
since it's been so long, and I know that they
were kind of like efforts by Lucasfilm to diversifyre with
talent and to lean more into including everybody as much
(08:00):
people as possible, since Star Wars welcome so much different
alien species and creative characters. You know, of course we
were thinking that would be the very least of our issues.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You know, they cloned Tyrone, who was just quite a
unique and special film, and I really loved it. I
wonder what what was it about they cloned Tyrone that
drew you to that film?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Jenimie Fox being attached was very interesting because obviously, you know,
working with a legend was something that it's.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Definitely a positive. Right you say the name Jemi to it,
You're like, yeah, well look I'll read the script.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Yeah yeah, I'll read it.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
I'll just say yes first and then I'll read it later,
to be honest with So it was a good experience
to just be given a chance to start with some
of the icons I grew up watching. I think also
Joelle Taylor was the first time director, and I wanted
to support his perspective, his voice, his creativity, and I
enjoy films that are a bit more more brave in
(09:05):
that sense, like I enjoy movies that are not trying
to be too censored and be too aware. I think
that art is essentially some person, especially filmed art. It's
just one person telling you a story and seeing look
what I thought up or look at what happened.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
And I think Tyrone represents the.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Movie that's getting back to that culture where you can
have such controversial characters and still understand that you're following
a story and enjoy yourself.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So I really enjoyed that project.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, it's funny because you sort of think in the
streaming age, and they cloned Tyrone was was released on Netflix,
but in the streaming age you can see that from creators' perspectives,
there might be two different paths to go down when
you're when you're making films. So one path is that
you go, oh my gosh, I've got access to the
entire world through streaming platforms, So I'm going to make
(09:57):
a piece of art that is kind of as banal
as possible so that it appeals to the broadest possible
audience possible. But if you do that, you never make
anything great. And the other, the other path is to go, Okay,
I've got access to the whole world. I'm going to say,
I'm going to make something that really appeals to me
as an artist, and it might be a bit quirky,
(10:18):
it might be a little bit unusual, but actually it's
going to be beloved because of it. And it feels
like that is prehaps the kind of path that Juelle
and that that Jamie and you took with the Client Iran.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Yeah, definitely, it definitely feels like a movie that grows
on people too. It came out at a very difficult
time also, during the strikes and a lot of a
lot was going on, and I feel like a huge
chunk of Tyrone's audience was was lost in that moment
because of what was happening with the strikes and the
lack of promotion for the project. But it really does
(10:52):
stand on its own two feet as a movie that,
as you said, it pushes barriers and it's, you know,
Shoelle Taylor's baby, and I think that being a part
of it and supporting him in his first film was
was truly important.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
So you're coming to New Zealand fer Armageddon. You know,
we have a film industry, right the film industry that
extends beyond Lord of the Rings and Nannia. Is there
any opportunity for you to maybe come down here and
spend a bit more time filming.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Oh, I don't know. I would love to you.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
If I'm filming something in New Zealand, it's probably a
fantastic gig. So I'm gonna hope that that happens, man,
because I would absolutely love that.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, we had delighted your coming here, John, Travel safely.
Thank you so much for your time and can't wait
to see your soon.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Oh we'll see everybody there, can't wait to meet Please
come out, please come up, come see me.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
That is John Boyega the good news as you can
go and see John today. Orkan's Armageddon has just launched.
Is the thirtieth anniversary of Armageddon, so it is gonna
be a big one. And of course it's on right
through to Monday. We've got all the details up on
the news Talks. He'd be website news Talks, hedb dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
For more from Saturday morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iheartrate Yo
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
John Boyeger has a legendary status for his ability to
say he has fought the Lightsaber, stood up to the Empire,
and been an integral part of a brand new generation
of Sci Fi and Star Wars stars. He shot to
famous former stormtroop of Finn in the Star Wars sequel
trilogy and has since carved out an amazing career as
(00:33):
an actor, producer, activist, and storyteller with real purpose. This weekend,
John is in New Zealand for the Armaged Exposed Massive
thirtieth anniversary event, and I caught up with him just
before he flew out to our shores.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
John, Good morning, how are you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I'm very well, thank you, delighted to be speaking with
you and delighted that you are making your way to
New Zealand. Have you been to New Zealand before?
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I've never been me, never never been, so I'm very
very excited to go down there.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's one of those places that you only really come
here if you're coming here on the way too many places,
you know.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was saying.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
But hence why I've alreadys dreamed of having a chance
to come out to New Zealand. To be honest with you, ever,
sence Lord of the Rings and Chronicles, not I'm coming
in with the more film esque kind of nostalgia.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
When it comes, I can't wait. I can't wait to.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
See it, superb. Hey, well, what are these events like
from your perspective? Because Armor given to us is the
kind of the mecca fan event for you know, for
New Zealanders. But but what is it like when you're
there and you come to a place like New Zealand.
Does it give you a new appreciation for the scale
(01:45):
of fandom and you know, the parts of the world
in which you are a huge name.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I think it's it's yet to be normal to me
to be recognized by people who are so far away,
especially from where I grew up and my stomping ground.
So to be in a position where you can come
into a new territory, especially as far as New Zealand,
and someone knows your name and knows your work and
appreciates your work, I think that is This is something
(02:16):
that I actually don't get over, to be fair, I
don't get over that when I leave London and go
down the street and they do that, you know, so
talkless of New Zealand. I mean, it's it's it's shocking
to see, but just speaks to the fandom.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
You know. They love what they love wherever they are.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Do you like it? Do you like it when people
come up to you and say, hey, John, John Dale,
I loved you on this, and you're sort of thinking, oh,
I can just keep to myself here. I'm just going about.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
My in general. In general.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
In general, I do and I definitely appreciate it. But
as you know, every individual case is different. It just
depends on the people and their approach and what I'm doing.
You know, I've got you know, some sandwich in my mouth,
and I'm eating with families quite different than him.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I'm just out and about, you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah, So I've met, I've met I've met people in
all different types of circumstances and most of the time
they are absolutely just amazing.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And I suppose when you're not again and like you
just you pick your moments for the sandwich, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Exactly, pick your moment. It's not about the sandwich. Yeah,
because I'm curious, I'm always. I also, I'm at a
point where I do want people to stay tuned into
the work that I do. So events like arm again
and it brings fans together, and otherwise I wouldn't have
seen them. I'd only know them through the screen. And
I think a more intimate experience with the people you
(03:32):
enjoy and the projects you enjoy, it's pretty cool for
both parties.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
How well invested in the Star Wars universe were you
before you signed onto the films.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I was really just a really big fan of it,
really invested. But just as a fan, I loved the
creative I loved dog George Lucas did with curating your
own story, producing it, getting it out there, pushing it out,
and just creating something so huge and the way one
thing led to another for him was amazing. And I
(04:04):
was one of those many kids that we're impacted by
that effort with the with the Brandy. I grew up
in the prequels, but then after that went back to
the originals and then start in the sequels.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
So it's a fan's dream, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, I mean it really is. I just feel like
there can be few, you know, few franchises in the
world that have anything like the Star Wars following. So,
how do you like, how do you look at the
fandom for Star Wars now that you've been both a
fan and a star. How has that experience kind of
(04:41):
changed your perspective?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Oh, you kind of know the inner workings of of
Star Wars a bit more obviously when you when you
work on it. But it validates really and truly my
reason for loving the film so much and loving Star
Wars so much, to be honest, because there's so many.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Amazing people buying the scenes.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Unspoken for that do such magnificent work, and if they didn't,
then we wouldn't appreciates Star Wars in the way in
which we do. So give you a new appreciation for
the system and how everything kind of has to come together,
how we all have to collaborate from different teams. I mean,
the actors know how much work you've done, and then
to be behind the scenes to witness it. It just
(05:22):
makes you appreciate filmmaking and being part of one of
the biggest space operas of all time.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Me.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, that's a good way of thinking about Today. I'm
speaking to actor John Boyega, who played Finn and Star
Wars the Force Awakens, he is coming to New Zealand
for arm Again. I'm sure you're asked about this all
the time, but I think you made a really conscious
decision to hear both your appreciation for the for the
(05:50):
franchise and the series, but also some of your criticism
from your perspective of Star Wars. And you made the
comments and number one on the call sheet in which
you talked about Star Wars being I think you said
it was, you know, the most white elite space. And yeah,
I suppose making comments like that are pretty brave for
(06:11):
anyone to be making. So can you talk us through
your thought process? Why did you decide to speak out
as you did.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I don't think I don't think it's brave at all.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Everybody that works on Star Wars are rich, wealthy individuals
that are tasked with to tell the story of Star
Wars and Luke and all the characters that come in.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I think it's just all saying what it is.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
I mean, there's not a lot of other people in
that level, especially since nineteen seventy seven, that are behind
the scenes of Star Wars and push the creative.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
So I'm just saying what's visible.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Everybody knows that there are Star Wars has came out
at a very interesting time, and the addition of actors
of color and various other people into this has always
been a conversation. So I think, me, it's just more
so making sure everybody's in actings if they don't see
what is very visible, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, yeah, I suppose The reason that struck me as
being braver is that I can imagine, you know, there
is the potential for a backlash, whether it's from fans
or whether it's from people in the industry or someone
like that. Given people feel so strongly about Star Wars.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I wondered that the documentary was filmed a couple of
years ago, actually only just recently came out, so timeline wise,
is pretty much the same thing I was saying from
when Star Wars was released and I was able to
speak about it.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Honestly, it just so.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Happened that that documentary came out a bit later, so
people still think it's on the same topic, and honestly,
the whole conversation has moved on, moved on from that
since it's been so long, and I know that they
were kind of like efforts by Lucasfilm to diversifyre with
talent and to lean more into including everybody as much
(08:00):
people as possible, since Star Wars welcome so much different
alien species and creative characters. You know, of course we
were thinking that would be the very least of our issues.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You know, they cloned Tyrone, who was just quite a
unique and special film, and I really loved it. I
wonder what what was it about they cloned Tyrone that
drew you to that film?
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Jenimie Fox being attached was very interesting because obviously, you know,
working with a legend was something that it's.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Definitely a positive. Right you say the name Jemi to it,
You're like, yeah, well look I'll read the script.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Yeah yeah, I'll read it.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
I'll just say yes first and then I'll read it later,
to be honest with So it was a good experience
to just be given a chance to start with some
of the icons I grew up watching. I think also
Joelle Taylor was the first time director, and I wanted
to support his perspective, his voice, his creativity, and I
enjoy films that are a bit more more brave in
(09:05):
that sense, like I enjoy movies that are not trying
to be too censored and be too aware. I think
that art is essentially some person, especially filmed art. It's
just one person telling you a story and seeing look
what I thought up or look at what happened.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
And I think Tyrone represents the.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Movie that's getting back to that culture where you can
have such controversial characters and still understand that you're following
a story and enjoy yourself.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So I really enjoyed that project.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, it's funny because you sort of think in the
streaming age, and they cloned Tyrone was was released on Netflix,
but in the streaming age you can see that from creators' perspectives,
there might be two different paths to go down when
you're when you're making films. So one path is that
you go, oh my gosh, I've got access to the
entire world through streaming platforms, So I'm going to make
(09:57):
a piece of art that is kind of as banal
as possible so that it appeals to the broadest possible
audience possible. But if you do that, you never make
anything great. And the other, the other path is to go, Okay,
I've got access to the whole world. I'm going to say,
I'm going to make something that really appeals to me
as an artist, and it might be a bit quirky,
(10:18):
it might be a little bit unusual, but actually it's
going to be beloved because of it. And it feels
like that is prehaps the kind of path that Juelle
and that that Jamie and you took with the Client Iran.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Yeah, definitely, it definitely feels like a movie that grows
on people too. It came out at a very difficult
time also, during the strikes and a lot of a
lot was going on, and I feel like a huge
chunk of Tyrone's audience was was lost in that moment
because of what was happening with the strikes and the
lack of promotion for the project. But it really does
(10:52):
stand on its own two feet as a movie that,
as you said, it pushes barriers and it's, you know,
Shoelle Taylor's baby, and I think that being a part
of it and supporting him in his first film was
was truly important.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
So you're coming to New Zealand fer Armageddon. You know,
we have a film industry, right the film industry that
extends beyond Lord of the Rings and Nannia. Is there
any opportunity for you to maybe come down here and
spend a bit more time filming.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Oh, I don't know. I would love to you.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
If I'm filming something in New Zealand, it's probably a
fantastic gig. So I'm gonna hope that that happens, man,
because I would absolutely love that.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, we had delighted your coming here, John, Travel safely.
Thank you so much for your time and can't wait
to see your soon.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Oh we'll see everybody there, can't wait to meet Please
come out, please come up, come see me.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
That is John Boyega the good news as you can
go and see John today. Orkan's Armageddon has just launched.
Is the thirtieth anniversary of Armageddon, so it is gonna
be a big one. And of course it's on right
through to Monday. We've got all the details up on
the news Talks. He'd be website news Talks, hedb dot
co dot nz.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
For more from Saturday morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to news Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iheartrate Yo
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CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.