John Boyega caused a bit of stir Tuesday afternoon when he shared a tweet that many perceived as Reylo shade.
The post in question featured a series of stills of Star Wars characters Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) battling it out in the trilogy. Boyega, who plays Finn in the franchise, sarcastically captioned the post "Star Wars romance" followed by several emojis.
Warning: Spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ahead.
The relationship between Rey and Kylo has received mixed reactions among Star Wars fans. In the final installment of the current trilogy, we see the two share a passionate kiss after Kylo/Ben Solo uses the Force to resurrect Rey. It was a big moment for viewers who have been crossing their fingers for a Reylo romance; however, the couple didn't get a happy ending: Kylo/Ben Solo dies shortly after saving Rey's life. Needless to say, some fans are pretty sensitive over this bittersweet plot line and will not tolerate any criticism of Reylo—especially from Boyega, whose character was believed to have had romantic feelings for Rey.
While some Twitter users co-signed the actor's tweet, many accused him of simply being a hater. It's unclear if the latter group realize Star Wars is just a movie depicting fictitious events, people, and relationships. Boyega made sure to point this out on Twitter, while he clapped back at the Reylo Shippers.
Others questioned whether Boyega's co-star Ridley would be offended by his tweet. The 27-year-old actor didn't seem too worried.
Check out some Boyega's other responses below.
Boyega addressed social media backlash in a recent interview with Variety. The actor was responding to the racist and sexist attacks his co-star Kelly Marie Tran had received from Star Wars fans—attacks that were so severe, she decided to get off social media.
"Being in this position, you just understand the masses, how the masses think, you know," Boyega said. "Through social media, we get to engage, we get to have fun. But at the same time, for those who are not mentally strong, you are weak to believe in every single thing that you read. That's, you know, it is what it is. I don't know, for me anyway, when I see that [backlash], I’m like, well, that’s actually not true. But no, it is actually not true. So it's kind of like [shrugs] it is what it is."
Boyega's response was polarizing, as some believed he was downplaying the effects of online harassment. He would later clarify his comments on social media, insisting he was not dismissing Tran's feelings, but was simply speaking for himself.
"I was really speaking from my own perspective throughout this franchise," he explained. "Sometimes I've felt strong and sometimes I've felt weak. Badly worded though. I apologize."
