Following the 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' star's departure from the Netflix production, reports emerge that the actor walked away without warning while filming was already underway.
- Jun 24, 2021
AceShowbiz - John Boyega has denied reports that he acted unprofessionally when he departed from "Rebel Ridge". After rumors swirled that he walked away from the Netflix production without warning while filming was already underway, the actor has released a statement via his agency, calling them "untrue."
"I can categorically say that these rumors are completely untrue," read the statement issued by Boyega's London-based agent Femi Ogun by on Wednesday, June 23. "People will form their opinions often rooted from boredom."
Doubling down on the initial claims, the agency said, "As stated John unfortunately left due to family reasons which in truth is none of anyone’s business except his own. John and Netflix have a wonderful relation which will continue to grow for years to come whether that be through his acting or through [Boyega's production company] UpperRoom."
Boyega bowed out of "Rebel Ridge" in early June while the thriller was filming in Louisiana, prompting officials to pause production as they race to find a replacement. In a statement issued to Deadline, a Netflix representative explained, " 'Rebel Ridge' is pausing temporarily as we look to re-cast John Boyega who needed to leave the project for family reasons." It added, "We remain committed to (writer/director) Jeremy Saulnier's extraordinary film and look forward to resuming production."
However, new details emerged earlier on Wednesday, revealing that Boyega didn't give the crew a notice prior to his exit and "the filmmakers only discovered when they looked for him at his hotel and found that he had checked out."
Sources further told The Hollywood Reporter that "there seemed to be no one incident that prompted Boyega to leave in the midst of shooting. Several insiders, however, say the star had myriad issues ranging from the script to his accommodations."
It's further said that top Netflix execs, including head of global films Scott Stuber and co-CEO Ted Sarandos, tried to persuade the star to return to the set without success. As the result, dozens of crewmembers were let go as the production was currently halted while the filmmakers are still looking for a new lead. The plan is to resume shooting early next year.
"Rebel Ridge" director Jeremy Saulnier has declined to comment on the reports. He is still attached to the project, which is described as "a thriller that explores systemic American injustice."
