John Boyega is no stranger to the press. The British actor—known for his leading roles in The Woman King and the Star Wars sequel trilogy—has spent years promoting projects that he’s worked on. It’s just part of the job! However, his latest round of interviews—for the sci-fi adventure They Cloned Tyrone—has taken an unsettling turn.
Instead of focusing on the film, which is out now on Netflix, much of the media has focused on gathering intel about Boyega’s costar, Jamie Foxx, who is quietly recovering from an undisclosed medical emergency. In an Esquire US's new digital cover story, featuring Boyega, he opened up about the pressure to talk about Foxx's recovery.
When asked if it felt strange to promote They Cloned Tyrone without Foxx—who plays Slick Charles in the film—Boyega shrugged. “Stuff happens,” he said. “People get pregnant or have commitments. You just gotta roll with the punches.” According to the 31-year-old star, Netflix has done a great job facilitating press interviews, and Foxx’s team has been clear about what commitments he can take on. “I’m the guy who’s like, 'Cool, you gotta have that privacy, regardless of what you’re going through,'” Boyega said.
Though Boyega and Netflix are keen on protecting Foxx’s privacy, fans have often not shown the actor the same respect. His medical emergency has been tabloid fodder, spurring multiple conspiracy theories as people try to uncover what happened.
“Let’s control ourselves a bit,” Boyega said addressing fans. “At the end of the day, you’re curious about somebody you’ve never met. Let’s come back down to reality here.” Moving forward, he wants fans to consider how their curiosity affects people. “Yes, you care about celebrities and stars,” he said. “But if that same celebrity is asking for privacy, how come you don’t care about that?”
Bria McNeal is a Manhattan based journalist who is patiently awaiting B5's revival. When she's not writing about all things entertainment, she can be found watching TV or trying to DIY something (likely, at the same time). Her work has appeared in NYLON, Refinery29, InStyle, and her personal newsletter, StirCrazy.
