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

Actor speaks for first time about how 10-year-old’s death in 2000 spurred him and others to ‘aim further’

The actor John Boyega has spoken for the first time of 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.