Star Wars: The Force Awakens

'Star Wars Episode VII' actor John Boyega takes aim at 'black Stormtrooper' racism

(CNN) -- Actor John Boyega has four words for anyone who's upset he's playing what appears to be a black Stormtrooper in the latest "Star Wars" film: "Get used to it."

The 22-year-old British actor posted the message on Instagram yesterday after his appearance in the new trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" aroused feverish discussion on social media. On YouTube, some questioned whether a black Stormtrooper made sense, while others reacted with racist remarks.

Supporters responded on Twitter with the hashtag #BlackStormtrooper.

"They'll accept an alien-filled galaxy powered by 'force' but they're not having a black man in uniform?" tweeted writer Iain Macintosh<&callback=load_tweet">

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"Love how there's "controversy" over a #BlackStormtrooper. Even in a galaxy far far away black people exist and can be dynamic characters too," tweeted Joseph Oteng<&callback=load_tweet">

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"#BlackStormTrooper better not die first, or I am going to be pissed," quipped USC professor Robert Hernandez<&callback=load_tweet">

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Despite the diversity of human and nonhuman characters mingling together in the fictional Star Wars universe, there have been just a handful of prominent black characters. Samuel L. Jackson played Jedi Master Mace Windu in three films, while Billy Dee Williams played Cloud City administrator turned Rebel General Lando Calrissian in two films.

James Earl Jones also provided the legendary voice for Darth Vader, but the actor under the mask was white.

In the "Star Wars" series Stormtroopers were originally clones of Jango Fett, an ethnic "Mandalorian" played by New Zealand-born actor Temuera Derek Morrison, of partial Maori descent. Later in the storyline, when Boyega's "black Stormtrooper" character would've lived, Stormtroopers were recruited from general populations -- making a Stormtrooper of any race certainly feasible.

As fans continue to dissect the trailer, many have also pointed out Boyega may not even be a Stormtrooper -- he could be a rebel in a Stormtrooper uniform, like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." Fans will have to wait a bit longer to find out more about Boyega's character.