Exclusive: We talk to John Boyega for Detroit and The Last Jedi!

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

DETROIT is a movie that exposes the underbelly of police brutality, institutional racism, and law enforcement practices that value blind devotion to policies over civilians’ rights.  These might sound like topics torn from headlines today or from fifty years ago …and that’s exactly the parallel that director Kathryn Bigelow and writer/producer Mark Boal want you to make.  The movie focuses on actual incidents that took place during the 1967 Detroit race riots, specifically a largely unknown police incident at the Algiers Hotel which left three dead and the survivors traumatized for decades.

Anyone familiar with THE HURT LOCKER and ZERO DARK THIRTY knows that Katheryn Bigelow and Mark Boal are masters of their craft, and DETROIT more than capably extends their winning streak.  The observational, handheld camerawork places you right in the middle of a terrible situation spinning out of control, and you’ll feel your heart pounding for the duration.  It’s challenging material, but it’s a movie that you’ll never forget.  We spoke with DETROIT star John Boyega about the largely improvised shooting style of DETROIT and the responsibility of portraying actual historical events and characters on screen.  (And you didn’t think we’d sit down with the “Star Wars” star and NOT ask him about THE LAST JEDI did you?!)