John Boyega tells of ‘life-changing’ friendship with Damilola Taylor

John Boyega (pictured) said he was motivated to speak after the death of Damilola’s father, Richard Taylor, earlier this week. Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

The actor John Boyega has spoken about the “life-changing” impact of his friendship with Damilola Taylor and the way his sudden death spurred him and others to “aim further”.

Boyega, 32, best known for his work in the Star Wars franchise, was school friends with Damilola growing up in south-east London. Damilola was 10 when he was stabbed in the leg with a broken bottle walking home from a computer class in Peckham in November 2000.