Walking into the chic Mandarin Oriental hotel in London's Knightsbridge, there's an undeniable buzz in the air as Europe's media gather for the launch of Pirelli's world-famous calendar.
HELLO! is here to chat to a star of the 2025 calendar, British actor John Boyega, who played Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
© 2025 Pirelli Calendar by Ethan James GreenAlong with the likes of US model Hunter Schafer, British actress Jodie Turner Smith, American model Jenny Shimizu appearing in the iconic calendar, the 12 stars of differing ages and nationalities bared all (or nearly all) for the "Refresh and Reveal" theme, captured by photographer Ethan James Green.
Actor John Boyega, who is due to star in a new Otis Redding biopic, is in good spirits when we meet, telling us his sister Blessing introduced him to Pirelli, and fellow actor Jodie Turner Smith - also in the calendar - persuaded him to model.
"Jodie said, 'You need to do it, apparently it's a big deal!'" explains John. "So I looked at the previous years, and to me it was really about the messaging. I've always been into the acceptance of different body types; I've been very outspoken about inclusion."
© Allessandro ScottiHow did John feel when he saw his outfit… a pair of underpants? "At first I was like, wait, where's the rest of it?!" he jokes, adding that "this is the most air I felt in between my legs on a set!"
The London-born star who calls US home, says: "I've taken clothes off on screen before, but that feels more controlled. Doing this 'as me' - especially at the time I was halfway through a workout regime, so I was still quite weighty - I wanted to do a shoot that embodied where I was. I wanted something to mark that time."
© Alessandro ScottiAt the time he shot the calendar, the actor was training for a number of roles that required getting in shape. He reveals, "each script is like 'he takes his top off, he's chiseled, muscular'.
Of Yuruba descent, John speaks about navigating the movie industry with a locs hairstyle: "If you look at my projects, racial identity is a part of the narrative, so if you come in with locs, it doesn't sway anybody. Over the years I've been able to connect with a team that understands the texture of my hair. That's made me feel more comfortable in my industry."
© GettyAnd an upbringing with women has helped develop his sensuality, which comes across in his calendar photo: He shares: "My sensuality has always been part of my personality. I grew up with mostly girls in the household, so it influences you after a while."
Will the family be receiving a Pirelli calendar for Christmas? He laughs: "I was going to do the cash in the envelope as this is tradition as a Yoruba man, but I'm going to put the envelope full of cash in the calendar, right on [my] page!"
To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
