Inside Oscar Isaac And John Boyega's Friendship

"Star Wars" is known for its intergalactic battles, lovable cast of characters, and the triumph of good over evil — not for its gay romances. But when the franchise's newest trilogy hit theaters with "The Force Awakens" in 2015, fans were cheering for Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and ex-stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) to be more than bros. 

Whether it was the moment Poe gave Finn his first name since he was abducted as a child, or their reunion when Finn learned that Poe was alive, the duo's onscreen chemistry was palpable. "The chemistry was so great that I think that I think [the] idea [of a romance] came from the fans, to be honest," Boyega revealed in a chat with Cinema Blend, via Bleeding Cool.

But director J.J. Abrams shot down hopes of a romance between Poe and Finn in "The Rise of Skywalker," "Star Wars'" final installment. "That relationship to me is a far deeper one than a romantic one," Abrams told Vanity Fair. "It is a deep bond that these two have, not just because of the trial by fire in which they met, but also because of their willingness to be as intimate as they are." 

Shippers might despair, but the silver lining is that Isaac and Boyega share a real-life friendship that's so strong, it prompted hopes for a gay "Star Wars" relationship in the first place. And even if fans can't have FinnPoe, they can still cheer for the actors' bromance.

John Boyega and Oscar Isaac's friendship blossomed on the set of "Star Wars." In 2016, Boyega tweeted a picture of himself working out with a caption that read "VIII," following it up with a video of himself jump-roping that included a shoutout to Isaac. "@mrcalliet influenced my cardio routine today," he wrote. "Doesn't hurt that I have Oscar Isaac in the background cheering me on." Following the success of "The Force Awakens," the pair also reunited for a hilarious rendition of "thirst tweets."

As the years went by, Boyega and Isaac proved that they weren't above teasing each other publicly. Case in point: Boyega jokingly "shamed" Isaac on Twitter for not texting him back, and resorted to writing his buddy an old-fashioned handwritten letter. He concluded it with, "It would be fantastic if you would accompany me to the premiere of 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,' if I can get a plus one" — and naturally, this only spawned fan demand for more FinnPoe. On a similar note, check out this 2020 Instagram of Boyega's, featuring Isaac wearing a FinnPoe shirt!

But the actors' relationship transcends "Stars Wars." In a 2022 interview with Men's Health, Boyega threw support behind his former co-star as Isaac promoted the Disney+ series, "Moon Knight." When asked what he's been watching lately according to ScreenRant, Boyega replied, "'Moon Knight.' My boy Oscar [Isaac]'s got a British accent in it. He's quite all right, know what I mean?"

Oscar Isaac has also supported his buddy John Boyega through some less light-hearted moments too. Per USA Today, Boyega was an active participant in the Black Lives Matter movement — and despite his original intentions to "protest quietly," he ended up giving a 2020 speech that later went viral. The actor told ET that the support of his "Star Wars" co-stars meant the world to him. "I am really close to my castmates, specifically Oscar [Isaac] and Daisy [Ridley]," he shared. "I have had really transparent and lovely conversations that I will never forget in my career, so we were already speaking about things. Me saying this was not a shock to them, but they did text me to say they support me." In the wake of Boyega's BLM speech, Isaac reposted an article from The Guardian to his Facebook, writing, "Infinitely proud to know this man. Love you, John."

In a 2020 interview with British GQ, Boyega criticized Disney for what he perceived to be the franchise's mishandling of its characters of color. "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. It's not good. I'll say it straight up," he shared. While Boyega is specifically referencing his character Finn, he is also calling out other actors of color, such as Isaac. Boyega's got Isaac's back, too.