John Boyega feels his powerful speech at Black Lives Matter rally in June may have damaging effects on his career

'Star Wars' actor John Boyega had created headlines when he had spoken passionately at the Black Lives Matter rally in London in June earlier this year. Months later the actor admits that his speech may have had a damaging effect on his acting career. 

While speaking to Radio Times recently, Boyega spoke about the Balck Lives Matter movement and how his speech has impacted his career. When he was asked about his powerful speech and whether he still believed in what he had said back in June, the actor said, “Absolutely. I still have those thoughts."

During his June speech, Boyega had fought back tears as he had said, “Black lives have always mattered. We have always been important. We have always meant something. We have always succeeded regardless. And now is the time. I ain’t waiting.
"I’m speaking to you from my heart. I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this but f**k that."

When Boyega was asked if he was still worried about his career due to the speech, the actor said, "I understand, looking from the outside in, it might seem ‘oh, you’ve been in this and you’ve been in that.’ But how many actors do you know who have been in big franchises? It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to have stability for the rest of your life.”

Boyega will next be seen in a film called 'Red, White and Blue' where he will be seen playing a black officer who joined the Metropolitan police force in the 1980s. 

The film opens with a scene that has the police harassing Boyega's character. The actor says the scene was close to something he had faced in his life. 

“I’ve been stopped and searched,” he said. “And my dad, who was a Pentecostal minister, got stopped on the way back from church. I was little. Everybody knows, especially if you grew up in Peckham, somebody who’s gone through the darkest scenarios with the police.”

'Red, White and Blue' has been directed by Steve McQueen- one of the five films in the maker’s anthology 'Small Axe'. The film explores the lives of the West Indian community in London in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.