JOHN BOYEGA has said he’s met Americans who don’t know there are black people living in London.

The 27-year-old actor of Nigerian heritage, says he thinks this is filled by the lack of representation of black British talent.

Speaking to Radio Times, Boyega discusses his experience while promoting his first film Attack The Block.

“I’m black British and I’m from London,” he said.

“And that in itself is something that the world doesn’t know about yet. I met American people – civilians of a first-world country – who were confused that there were black people in London.”

He added that this is why it’s important to have widespread representation in popular culture.

“That’s why entertainment is so special, it’s a great chance to bring people together and open them up to things they haven’t seen before.”

Boyega currently stars in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and will be seen in Steve McQueen’s upcoming BBC series Small Axe, which follows a group of London’s African-Caribbean community from the late 1960s to the early 80s.

Speaking on the project, Steve McQueen said: “I felt these stories needed to be shared. I wanted to re-live, re-evaluate and investigate the journeys that my parents and the first generation of West Indians went on to deliver me here today calling myself a black British person.

“What’s important about our stories is that they are local but at the same time global. I think audiences will identify with the trials, tribulations and joy of our characters as well as reflecting on the present environment in which we find ourselves. The dynamic nature of the series allows us to confront injustice in the face of adversity hence the proverb Small Axe, ‘if you are the big tree, we are the small axe’ (Bob Marley).”