Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor John Boyega has responded to critics in the wake of the negative comments that followed the introduction of a black stormtrooper in the film's recent teaser trailer.

Boyega, who is rumored to be the film's lead, took to Instagram to offer his insight after the trailer's release last week, writing: "Thank you for all the love and support! The fan mail and fan art has added to my joy! Isn't it crazy that Star Wars is actually happening? I'm in the movie but as a star wars [sic] fan I am very excited."

Addressing concerns over the idea that a stormtrooper could be black, Boyega wrote: "To whom it may concern... Get used to it. "

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, scheduled for release on Dec. 18, 2015, takes place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The movie will include original trilogy actors such as Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew and Carrie Fisher.

He's probably just disguised as a Storm Trooper.

^
Yeah that's what I thought too. I'm happy a black actor got the role. Really happy for him. Fuck the critics.

Who cares if a black actor is a stormtrooper?

I do. One of the main points of the Empire was that they promoted human superiority and white superiority on top of it. Which is why you didn't see much to any aliens working for the Empire and why Thrawn was only allowed in because of how brilliant he was for an alien. Plus I've kind of gotten used to black guys being supporting characters. But I dont think he is a trooper, its been noted early on he'd be a jedi.

Dead wrote:

Who cares if a black actor is a stormtrooper?

All storm troopers are clones of Jango Fett. Though it's possible The Empire is no longer able to use the cloning technology and have to use non clones in their army. But yeah I doubt he's a storm trooper because if he's a major guy in the story line there's no way they're going to make him cannon fodder.

I think it's sort of a nod to when they were they were disguised as Storm Troopers in the first one.

It could be.