John Boyega has hit out at recent comments Samuel L Jackson made about black British actors being cast over African Americans.
Samuel raised eyebrows during an interview with New York radio station Hot 97, when he discussed the choice to cast British actor Daniel Kaluuya as the lead in ‘Get Out’ - a horror film about a black man who experiences racism from his white girlfriend’s family.
He said: “I think it’s great [’Get Out’]’s doing everything it’s doing and people are loving it. But… I know the young brother who’s in the movie, and he’s British.
“So, there are a lot of black British actors in these movies. I tend to wonder what that movie would have been with an American brother who really feels that.
“Daniel grew up in a country where they’ve been interracial dating for a hundred years… What would a brother from America have made of that role? I’m sure the director helped, but some things are universal, but [not everything].”
After hearing Samuel’s comments, John took to Twitter, branding the idea of pitting black Brits against African Americans a “stupid ass conflict we don’t have time for.”
Daniel Kaluuya also seemingly referenced the row which he is at the centre of on Twitter, when he tweeted: “Rise above your struggle.”
Samuel has since tried to defend his remarks, telling AP: “It was not a slam against them, but it was just a comment about how Hollywood works in an interesting sort of way sometimes.
“We’re not afforded that same luxury, but that’s fine, we have plenty of opportunities to work.”
On British black actors, he said: “I enjoy their work... I enjoy working with them when I have the opportunity to do that.”
John Boyega was born and raised in Peckham, London, and is best known for playing Finn - with an American accent - in the most recent ‘Star Wars’ film, ‘The Force Awakens’.
He will reprise his role in the next instalment in the franchise, ‘The Last Jedi’, which is due to hit cinemas in December.
