John Boyega Reveals Birth of First Child, Secret Marriage

Actor John Boyega, known for his role as Finn in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, has announced the birth of his first child with his wife, Tae. The actor also revealed that he and Tae were secretly married two years ago.

Boyega, 34, shared the news on Instagram, posting photos from Tae's baby shower. "Our bundle of joy has been with us for some time now but thank you for all the well wishes," he wrote. He also mentioned his sister is expecting, adding, "Wish her well too! Back to feeding this big baby!"

He confirmed the couple had a "small ceremony" to tie the knot and expressed a desire for a traditional Nigerian wedding in the future. "We both like the idea of celebrating something established, rather than celebrating the entry," Boyega told The Guardian. "And by then, we'll have to shut Nigeria down!"

Boyega shared that he gifted Tae two wedding rings: one with sentimental value purchased from Walmart, and another acquired later. "This is the one we decided to pick up spontaneously because I just wanted the ring on my finger, so we went to Walmart to get this," he said. "It was a lovely trip to Walmart. Shout out, Walmart Canoga Park!"

The actor, who has a young stepson, stated that his life feels "completely fulfilled" and emphasized the importance of being a present and loving parent. "Us being parents is funny! I just want to make sure I'm present, I'm consistent and full of love."

Boyega's career began with a breakthrough role in Joe Cornish's 2011 film "Attack the Block." He later gained international recognition for his portrayal of Finn, a stormtrooper who defects from the First Order, in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy.

Previously, Boyega has spoken about how the tragic death of his childhood friend, Damilola Taylor, profoundly shaped his perspective. Taylor was killed in London in 2000 when Boyega was eight years old. Boyega recounted to BBC Radio 4's Last Word podcast that the event was "life-changing" and altered his understanding of mortality.

He has also been vocal about his experiences in the film industry, including his criticism of Disney's handling of his character Finn in the "Star Wars" franchise. Boyega claimed in a 2020 interview with British GQ that the character was marginalized due to his race, stating, "What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side."