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On November 28, 2014 Lucasfilm released the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, capturing the world’s attention.

There was a lot of pressure, as this was the first look at Star Wars since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012. It was the first new Star Wars film since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, and the first film to reunite the original trilogy cast since 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

So yeah, it was a big deal.

This weighed heavily on John Boyega, who is the first person seen in the teaser trailer. The camera pans on the planet Jakku, and we see John Boyega’s Finn stand up. “I was eating dirt the whole time I was below the camera,” Boyega recalls during his Popverse-hosted spotlight panel on the Emerald City Comic Con 2025 Main Stage powered by Xfinity.

At first, Boyega wasn’t aware of how important that shot would be.

“When we filmed it, I didn’t get it. I had the full stormtrooper suit on in the desert, and J.J. [Abrams] goes, ‘John, all I need you to do is squat and get up, and just continue doing that. And look around, look surprised, and then run off.’ And I said, ‘Well, this isn’t in the script.’ And then he looks at me while looking at his iPad and goes, ‘This is for the teaser trailer.’”

That changed everything

“When he told me after I was just like, ‘Oh cool, this is dope.’ And he goes, ‘You’re going to be the first one that they see.’ I was just like, ‘You sure about that? I would’ve done Harrison and Carrie, but whatever you want to do.’ And he goes, ‘No, we want to introduce you to the fandom.’ So, it was real exciting but gruesome doing that.”

You can watch The Force of Talent: Spotlight on John Boyega from ECCC 2025's Main Stage powered by Xfinity for yourself as part of Popverse's all-encompassing coverage of Emerald City Comic Con 2025. Be there from anywhere.

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