John Boyega Says THE FORCE AWAKENS Character "Mirrors The Stories of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo"

After auditioning for a staggering seven months to earn the role of Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Attack the Block star John Boyega is on the cusp of becoming a household name. In a brief new interview with GQ, the young actor spoke about his role in the upcoming movie, how he cried when reading the script for the first time, the weight of the lightsaber (which you can see him wield here), and more:

"When I read the script I cried, and I'm not really a big crier... I'm more like a frog-in-the- throat kind of guy, who'll try to hold it in and make sure I don't let it all out." ...

"Finn is dope. His story is so epic. It's a story that's never been seen before, but it also mirrors the stories of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And he's quirky and charismatic and funny. For me, he was the best character in the script." ...

"They're heavy, those [lightsabers], and there's a lot of running involved. I was trained on a high incline treadmill so when it came to it I could sprint around the desert in a leather jacket. They should do a Star Wars weight loss program."

This sounds like it was such an emotional film for everyone involved (even Harrison Ford, shockingly enough), and from the response we've seen to the trailers, we already know it's going to get a very emotional reaction from the fans. I think there's just such a strong desire for Star Wars to be great again, and everything we've read and heard so far indicates that J.J. Abrams has somehow, miraculously, lived up to expectations and will return the franchise to its former glory. I have my fingers crossed that he's pulled it off. Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuts on December 18th.