‘They Cloned Tyrone’ Star John Boyega on Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream of Working with Jamie Foxx

variety.com:

Angelique Jackson Growing up in South London, “They Cloned Tyrone” star John Boyega would sit on his mattress watching Jamie Foxx act up on “The Jamie Foxx Show” or his Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles in “Ray.” So, getting the opportunity to team up with Foxx for the conspiracy caper “They Cloned Tyrone,” was a dream come true. “That’s someone that I’m very much inspired by,” Boyega told Variety on the red carpet at the American Black Film Festival, where the Netflix movie was the opening night selection. “He’s definitely been one of the major hands behind my career that helped me to get roles, get opportunities and I appreciate it.” Of course, Boyega has come a long way from watching movies and TV in his bedroom.

After breaking onto the scene in “Attack the Block” and then playing Finn in the latest “Star Wars” trilogy,” Boyega has starred as King Ghenzo in the critically acclaimed film “The Woman King,” portrayed a military veteran with PTSD in “Breaking,” and delivered a Golden Globe-winning performance in Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology series.

But watching Foxx’s process up close made a major impression. “My lasting memory is him having the ability to read six pages of new dialogue and just say ‘Yeah, I’ve got it.’ I’m like, ‘What?

How’d you do that?’ That’s movie star stuff,” Boyega recalled, noting that Foxx was also “incredibly generous to people, always high in energy, very positive.” In “They Cloned Tyrone,” Boyega, Foxx and Teyonah Parris play “a hustler, a pimp and a pro [who] walk into a conspiracy” after discovering a nefarious government organization.