"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" star John Boyega, who will be portraying a new character named Finn in the highly anticipated seventh installment to the sci-fi franchise is one lucky guy.
To be a part of "Star Wars" is already a huge blessing in itself, but Boyega is really being showered with blessings since he has gotten "Iron Man" star Robert Downey Jr. as his personal mentor.
"He's helped me prepare for how my life is going to change and that has been inspiring. I'm talking to someone who understands the power of choices, both positive and negative," he revealed during an interview with V Man Magazine.
Downey Jr. isn't the only inspiring figure in Boyega's life. Since landing the role of Finn, Boyega got to work with "Star Wars" legends Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill.
Boyega is particularly impressed by Ford's acting skills. "He has that knowledge and it's beautiful to watch. He has a great balance between the artistic and technical elements of acting, which is what it's all about," he gushed.
But Boyega admitted that he felt very intimidated by Ford's level of success. "He told me about his career and his house. I realized that I probably couldn't relate to him about finances because he's on another level," he said.
At only 23 years old, things are certainly looking up for Boyega, especially since director J.J. Abrams just gained him access to one of the biggest blockbuster movies to date.
The casting process took a gruelling seven months, but Boyega said it was worth it in the end.
"Disney is a four-billion-pound company," he said. "They wanted to make sure they got the right person for the job. I learned that I got the part over a nice breakfast in Mayfair. J.J. said, 'John, you're the new star of Star Wars,' and everything froze for a moment."
He didn't want to reveal spoilers concerning his character, jokingly saying that Abrams would probably fly a robotic helicopter then make him disappear from Hollywood forever if he did so.
But he did describe Finn as being "in conflict, mostly with himself and also with the powers."
He added that Finn is a "unique" character with a narrative that has "never before seen" in "Star Wars."
"We've seen him in the Stormtrooper outfit and his own clothes. Why is that?" The answer, he said, is "very surprising."
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will hit cinemas on December 18, 2015.
