John Boyega is an English actor best known for his role as Finn in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the 2017 sequel Star Wars: The Last Jedi. John Boyega was born John Adedayo B. Adegboyega on March 17, 1992, in London, England; his parents are British Nigerian. John attended Westminster City School and studied for a National Diploma in Performing Arts at South Thames College, Wandsworth. He trained at the identity School of Acting in Hackney. In addition to the Star Wars films John’s film credits include Half of a Yellow Sun (2013), Imperial Dreams (2014), The Circle (2017), Detroit (2017), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018). For his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John received the BAFTA Rising Star Award and the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi garnered him the Empire Award for Best Actor as well as the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor-Sci-Fi/Fantasy. In January of  2016, John formed his own production company, Upperroom Entertainment Limited; the company co-produced Pacific Rim Uprising. John has also done work in television, appearing in 24: Live Another Day, Saturday Night Live, Watership Down (voice), and Star Wars Forces of Destiny.