John Boyega Reflects on Childhood Friend's Killing, Near Misses with Violence

Actor John Boyega has spoken about how the 2000 killing of his childhood friend, 10-year-old Damilola Taylor, "directly affected" him and how he himself "came close" to violence growing up in the same Peckham estate.

Boyega was among the last people to see Damilola alive before the stabbing, which occurred yards from their homes in South East London. Damilola, who had moved from Nigeria a few months prior, was killed by two boys aged 12 and 13 while on his way home from the library. He was found fatally wounded in a stairwell after being stabbed in the leg with a broken beer bottle.

Speaking at a BAFTA event in London, ahead of the BBC Two documentary "Damilola: The Untold Story," Boyega, who was eight at the time of the incident, shared his perspective on the youth violence prevalent in the area during that period. He noted that not only Damilola's death but also other incidents impacted him and his sister, Grace, who was ten and also knew Damilola. "I came close to it myself a good few times," Boyega stated.

Boyega described his youth as a period of extreme experiences, both positive and negative, which he believes have given him a significant perspective on life. "It feels like I've lived longer than that just because of what you've been exposed to and the experiences that you've been inspired by or the experiences that have affected you in a negative way," he said.

He emphasized the importance of remembering one's roots and origin stories, suggesting they can serve as a guide. "Peckham, as much as there was that negativity there, I cannot help but highlight the people who got their bootstraps together and said 'I'm going to do what I can'," he added.

Grace Boyega also shared her reflections, acknowledging the difficulty of revisiting painful memories. "It's hard because you have to unlock stuff that you've kept closed for so many years. Just having to relive that whole experience has been a lot, but again like John said there is hope," she said. "Life is a choice – you can decide to go this way or go that way."

The documentary explores the final hours of Damilola's life and the impact of his death on those who knew him. It also features discussions with Grace Boyega and other friends about the culture and fears in Peckham around 2000. Boyega decided to speak publicly about Damilola in 2024, motivated in part by the death of Damilola's father, Richard Taylor, who had dedicated years to supporting disadvantaged children and campaigning against knife crime through the Damilola Taylor Trust.

The film revisits the investigation into Damilola's death, including the initial prosecution collapse and the eventual convictions of the Preddie brothers, Ricky and Danny, for manslaughter in 2006 after three trials. They were each sentenced to eight years in prison.

Documentary director Alex Thomas stated that the film aims to tell Damilola's story through the eyes of the young people who experienced it, highlighting the pressures of growing up in an environment shaped by fear and bullying. "Twenty-five years on, those experiences still stay with them, and many of those pressures still exist for young people today," Thomas said.

"Damilola: The Untold Story" is scheduled to air on BBC Two and iPlayer on October 5.