Star Wars and The Circle actor John Boyega is so proud of his heritage, he got tattoos to show it off. The Men’s Health September cover star explained what the meaning was behind two of his tattoos.
On his left arm, from starting from his shoulder, Boyega sports a sleeve tattoo of Africa to represent his homeland, as both his parents are from Nigeria and immigrated to London in the 1980s.
Below the tattooed continent, Boyega has a tattoo of his parents’ faces above his wrist. His father, Samson, is a Pentecostal minister and his mother Abigail, is a caregiver. The two have been married for 35 years. “My mom and dad will always be my heroes, because at the end of the day, man, they made the fundamental choice moving from Nigeria, coming over to London,” Boyega says. “If they didn’t make that choice, I don’t think any of us would be here.” Boyega has two sisters as well, named Blessing and Grace.
His second tattoo, however, is a little more whimsical than the dedication to his parents. It’s an image of a lion to represent his dueling spirits, because as Boyega says, “I like to fight and I like to cuddle.”
Back in 2020, Boyega tweeted about his parents’ reaction to his chest tattoo, which according to People was a “secret.” His mother told him to call her “immediately,” then asked if he was trying to emulate David Beckham, who’s known for having over 60 tattoos.
Meanwhile, his father was silent.
Boyega’s tattoo homage to his parents hopefully went over better than his chest tatoo.
Boyega is set to appear in Attack the Block 2, the original film being his breakout role in the U.K., and The Woman King alongside Viola Davis.
Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men’s Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine’s Vulture and Chicago Tribune.
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