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John Boyega Only Had £45 in the Bank When Director J.J. Abrams Told Him He Won Star Wars Role

John Boyega told fans at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo on Saturday, April 12 that he only had £45 in his bank account when he learned he was cast in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.' "Everything felt very surreal," he recalled of that moment.

Boyega, 33, looked back on his career during a panel at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo on Saturday, April 12, with podcast host Josh Horowitz. In conversation, he said he will "never forget the day" director J.J. Abrams sent him an email asking him to talk, following several rounds of auditions. Boyega said that when he arrived at the restaurant to meet Abrams, the filmmaker was seated in a closed-off section of the building.

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