Since leaving the Star Wars franchise, John Boyega has been vocal about his experiences with racism and the challenges he faced as a hero in the sequel trilogy. In a recent interview for the Apple TV+ documentary “Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood,” Boyega shared his thoughts on the predominance of white heroes in the Star Wars universe. He stated that the franchise has a reputation for being “in the most whitest, elite space” and that the presence of a Black person in the series was notable.

Boyega also discussed how some Star Wars fans respond to the lack of diversity in the franchise, citing examples such as Lando Calrissian and Samuel L. Jackson’s characters. He compared their presence to “scattered cookie chips in cookie dough,” implying that they were tokenistic inclusions. Boyega expressed frustration that fans are accepting of Black actors in supporting roles but resistant to them taking on lead roles, perceiving it as “pandering.”

Boyega’s comments come on the heels of the cancellation of “The Acolyte,” a Star Wars series with a diverse cast, including Amandla Stenberg in a dual leading role. The series faced backlash and harassment due to its diverse casting, which is a unfortunate trend in the Star Wars franchise. Despite making strides in defending minority talent, Lucasfilm and Disney have failed to adequately support targeted stars, such as Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who faced bigoted harassment during the sequel trilogy.

While the studio has made efforts to defend minority talent, including supporting Moses Ingram after she faced racist abuse for her performance in “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” there is still much work to be done to elevate diverse leading roles in Star Wars and protect them from being marginalized. Boyega has praised the studio’s efforts in the past but emphasizes the need for continued progress.

For more io9 news, check out the latest release dates for upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek movies and TV shows. You can also stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the DC Universe, as well as the future of Doctor Who.