John Boyega dishes on his faith, prayer, meditation

John Boyega’s Christian faith helped him cope with sudden fame and fortune.

The 27-year-old actor became a household name from his role as Finn in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the subsequent sequels, but his religious upbringing by his Nigerian parents in London kept him grounded.

Boyega – whose father, Samson Adegboyega, is a Pentecostal minister – says his belief in Jesus has meant he’s been able to avoid the pitfalls of celebrity.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, he said: “I don’t drink. I was just raised by parents who never drank. It’s harder if you’re a big party person before you’re famous because when the fame comes, you don’t want to let go of that.”

The Pacific Rim: Uprising star has also used his faith to help him navigate his way through his movie career.

He claimed that his religion has been the key to keeping him humble and as the person his friends and family know and love.

Boyega added: “I come from a family that has strong faith ... You realise this life is fleeting and inner peace is the most important thing, and my path is definitely prayer and I meditate as well. Money and fame aren’t that powerful to me to change my personality.”

Boyega previously opened up about his childhood living in Peckham, south London, with his two older siblings, Blessing and Grace.

He said: “When I tell people where I was raised, they always go, ‘Oof, how was that?’ as if it was rough. I reckon I had a better childhood than most people who were raised in amazing environments. It was happy and active – playing on the estate, climbing trees, going to theatre clubs. There was so much community, so much to get involved in.”