Star Wars' Boyega searched at airports 'every single time'

Star Wars actor John Boyega has revealed he suffered "consistent" security checks at airports when "hustling and auditioning" in Los Angeles.

The 25-year-old told the Evening Standard magazine: "I'd get cheap flights and stay there for two weeks or whatever. And every time I was getting these random checks. Every. Single. Time."

He added: "When you fly a lot and it happens three or four times there's an element of: 'okay, I'm still not a terrorist'."

"I wish I remembered the airline because I called them out on it, too. Like: This stuff ain't right."

He also shared his thoughts on recent comments by US actor Samuel L Jackson in which he criticised black British talent for taking African-American parts.

"Damn, Sam," Boyega said.

"I love him but he didn't have to go there. I was actually going to send him a message to check that he's cool.

"But look, I get it, I just think there's no end result in black Brits and African Americans going back and forth at each other," Boyega added.

"I rate Sam and he's always showed me love - he's like a big uncle - but, across the planet, the black experience is a layered one and his comments didn't represent that."

Boyega rose to fame after being cast as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and is now staging a return to theatre after eight years out.

"The rehearsal process is something that you forget about when you do movies all the time," he said.

"On movies you don't really get time to rehearse, so that was a shock to me.

"On the second day, I was thinking to myself: Oi mate, why don't you know these lines? Because on a film you need to be ready to go," he added.

"This feels like a holiday. A really strenuous holiday with some good people."

Boyega will play the lead role in Georg Buchner's Woyzeck at London's Old Vic from 15 May.