I chatted with John Boyega on the phone this week to discuss his new film Detroit (read IGN's review), his return as Finn in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and starring in the sequel to Pacific Rim.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit is a docudrama chronicling the 1967 riots that swept that city, with a particularly brutal emphasis on what transpired at the Algiers Motel when three white cops terrorized a group of black men and two white women. Boyega plays a real-life figure, Melvin Dismukes, a security guard who becomes involved in the terrifying events at the Algiers.
Here's what Boyega had to tell me about making the film, meeting the man he plays, and more.
IGN: Did you find the fact that you were able to actually meet the real Melvin helpful as an actor or was there some part of you that would you have felt more free if you didn't have the real person there, to kind of create a character from whole cloth in a way?
John Boyega: No, because I think it was great that I got a chance to speak to him, because, you know, it's a very important story. The story is very, obviously, very controversial, very sensitive, so quite a level of respect. And I just felt that he was opening up to go into a role that's not really about him as it relates to the situation, but him out of that situation as well. I got the chance to get to know him as a man, as an individual, and that to me was very, very important. And it really, really helped. You know, I've had actors sometimes say that, you know, you meet the real guy, and you're like, uh, no, please just get away from me. But he was pretty distant anyway, naturally, obviously, being that, this is obviously hard for one to relive it. I was given the chance to just do what I needed to do, but as long as I knew kind of what the facts were, I asked him what kind of a man that he was.
IGN: What were his thoughts about this being turned into a movie, first of all? I mean, he has to revisit something I'm sure he lives with every day. But to have it kind of brought back, have himself kind of brought back into the public spotlight in such a way. Did he ever express to you any of his thoughts on this being turned into a major feature film?
Boyega: That discussion he would have had way before I came down the line. So that would have been with Kathryn, the rest of the team. When I joined, he was all signed up, he was ready to go. And I was actually shocked at how open and transparent he was. But he didn't really take any warming up before he was like, okay, cool, here's my story. And I think a lot of that was a reflection of the fact that already he wanted to share his side of the story. Imagine, you know, your story being a bit sketchy for fifteen years, and now being given the chance to clarify for a movie. And I just thought that's the best truth speech you can give. So he chose to express himself and he was all game with the idea.
IGN: Many of your scenes are with Will Poulter, the other actors playing the police officers and the National Guardsmen, as well as the victims of the Algiers. In order to kind of maintain a sense of tension, how did you interact with your other actors in-between takes? Did you have to kind of remove yourself, or did you want to keep sort of a sense of levity in between takes?
Boyega: Oh, I stayed isolated at times, just because of Melvin's specific, unique perspective in this movie. But many times, you know, we would get into conversations that were much lighter than the things that we were filming. We would, you know, talk about things, we would ask if everybody was okay, and a feeling of family, and a feeling of care. Genuine care, actually, which was quite great. So it was easy to kind of separate, you know, those two worlds, in a sense. Once the camera stops rolling, the camera stops rolling. And in another, yes, especially certain intricate parts of the scene, that we would have to pick up on film, we would have to keep it going. You know, I just, I certainly felt very intense exercise. And it wasn't sad in any way or anything like that, it was just, I felt it was necessary. And it came across as if everybody felt like that. So, it was easy.
IGN: What sort of responsibility do you feel as a rising young star now in this industry in the kinds of projects that you choose?
Boyega: I don't know that there's a responsibility there. I have, you know, the freedom, the creative freedom, like anybody else. I'm still trying to figure out, you know, where my purpose is in all of this. I guess within that, there's a responsibility, but in terms of what I choose, I mean, I simply like to be in things that I love to watch, and I love versatility, I love a contrast, I don't like living in the same world twice. Unless it's a franchise. It's nice to, you know, have that option to be able to make those kind of choices, and that in truth is what I do.
IGN: This movie is directed by Kathryn Bigelow, it's written by Mark Boal. White filmmakers have, for years and years, been the ones telling stories from black culture at a time when black filmmakers were not afforded those opportunities. What sort of discussions would you like to have, or sort of – I don't want to say advice, but what would you say to white filmmakers and storytellers who do want to tell stories from black history? Do you think there's a risk of, as well intentioned as they might be, of not quite getting it? I don't think that's the case here with Detroit at all, I loved the movie. But it's an ongoing conversation in the industry, and our culture, and I was just wondering what your thoughts were on that.
Boyega: Yeah, I just think that there's – obviously everybody has creative freedom, I don't think that should be denied to anybody, but we don't live in a world that works that way. We also need very specific perspectives so that there's an emotional accuracy as well as, obviously, the facts. When we watch films, as black people, we're seeing – we're relating to that on a very real and grounded level. But I think one thing that was impressive to me, and made it quite comfortable for me to work with, is that Kathryn was open to listening. And I hope most filmmakers are. But also having a good research team around you, something that is going to be necessary, regardless of whether they're basing it on black history or not. Any kind of history requires a research team that is gonna be able to give you as much clarity as possible. And we were blessed on this one because we had real survivors who were consultants on the movie too. So Melvin Dismukes, the man I play, I got a chance to talk to him. So that in itself, there's safety there. But I do think at the same time, it just requires some listening and openness to different perspectives. And above all, just intense and respectful research.
IGN: Thank you so much for your time today, Mr. Boyega, and I wish you my best with Detroit. I'd wish you luck on Star Wars, but I don't think you need it. I think you're all set on that one.
Boyega: I think they'll be fine, they'll be fine.
Detroit is now playing in theaters.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire