ET spoke to Boyega at the 2022 ESPY Awards Wednesday night.
John Boyega is looking back on his time acting alongside the late, Michael K. Williams, who died of an accidental drug overdose last year. ET's Kevin Frazier spoke to Boyega on the red carpet at the 2022 ESPY Awards Wednesday night, where he is presenting alongside Lil Wayne, about the new trailer for Williams' latest posthumous film, Breaking.
"Incredible," Boyega said when asked what it was like to work with Williams. "To see the trailer today brought back all those emotions and feelings and just being on set with him."
The Star Wars actor shared that he actually requested Williams be part of the thriller, despite getting paid "peanuts" for his role in the film.
"I actually requested him to be in this movie, and he came through," he revealed. "Got paid peanuts just to be a part of the art, so we'll forever love you, brother."
Boyega plays veteran Brian Brown-Easley, who finds himself on the brink of homelessness after his disability check is withheld by Veterans Affairs. With no other options, he walks into a Wells Fargo bank and claims to have a bomb.
The 30-year-old British actor called the film "incredible" adding that the role puts his range on full display.
"Breaking is going to be an incredible movie," Boyega said. "Starring in this movie alongside Michael K. Williams and Nicole Beharie has been a blessing to me. And I'm getting ready to show you lot a little range, show you lot a little somethin' somethin,' you know what I mean?"
When it comes to the ESPYs, Boyega said he's enjoying seeing the athletes dressed up and out of their element.
"It's cool to see that because the actors, this is much more of our kind of setting, but to see sportsmen and all the guys coming in, to just join up and appreciate each other for all the hard work they do, is fantastic, and for my acting a** to be a part of it, is cool," he said.
He's also enjoying rubbing elbows with some famous faces, including the night's host Stephen Curry.
"I'm only a few steps in, but I've already said hello to Steph Curry, he's right next to me now. I feel like my value's just gone up," Boyega quipped.
While the London-born and bred actor is a football fan for life, his time in America has admittedly given him an appreciation for basketball.
"I've obviously been a fan of football, a.k.a. soccer, for a long time, but basketball has found my love," he revealed. "My best friend is an L.A. native, huge fan of the Lakers. Lakers were the first game I saw. I actually saw it on the first Force Awakens trailer dropping, that's when I was at a Laker game, so I'm like, 'Let me get into a little bit more.'"
The 2022 ESPY Awards air Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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