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Lucasfilm, filmmakers stand behind John Boyega’s passionate Black Lives Matter speech

ByAmanda Mullen|
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Actor John Boyega speaks to the crowd during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park on June 3, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. The death of an African-American man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police has sparked protests across the United States, as well as demonstrations of solidarity in many countries around the world. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 03: Actor John Boyega speaks to the crowd during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park on June 3, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. The death of an African-American man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police has sparked protests across the United States, as well as demonstrations of solidarity in many countries around the world. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Following John Boyega’s passionate speech at a Black Lives Matter rally on Wednesday, numerous companies and celebrities have spoken in support of him.

As all 50 states protest against police brutality following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, numerous celebrities have spoken out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, some of them even attending the organization’s protests in person. Star Wars actor John Boyega is one star who gave a passionate speech at a Black Lives Matter rally in London on Wednesday, voicing that taking a stand was more important than his acting career.

“Black lives have always mattered,” Boyega shouted into the megaphone. “We have always been important. We have always succeeded regardless. And now is the time. I ain’t waiting.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this, but f**k that,” Boyega added.

Thankfully, it seems Boyega will most certainly have an acting career after speaking out, as numerous companies and celebrities came out to say they stood in solidarity with him. Following his speech going viral, the official Star Wars Twitter account posted a link to the video, dubbing the actor a “hero” and affirming that Lucasfilm stands behind him in his activism.

Some of Boyega’s fellow Star Wars cast and crew members, like Mark Hamill and Rian Johnson, also expressed their support for his message on Twitter. Hamill wrote that he’d “never been more proud,” adorably signing the Tweet from “dad.”

And it’s not just Boyega’s Star Wars family speaking up to support him. Numerous other filmmakers expressed that they’d have no issues working with the actor in the future and urged others to follow suit. Jordan Peele, the director behind Us, assured Boyega, “We got you, John,” in his Tweet, while director Matthew A. Cherry pushed non-Black creators to publicly announce that they’d work with Boyega in the future, just as he would.

It’s heartening to see so many band together to stand with Boyega and against injustice, and with any luck, the outpouring of support will lead to awareness and actual change, both in Hollywood and beyond. John Boyega is one of many celebrities to stand with Black Lives Matter over the past week, with stars like Tessa Thompson and Ariana Grande also showing up to protests.

To learn how you can help support the Black Lives Matter movement, visit the organization’s website.

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