It wasn't just talent or charisma that landed English actor John Boyega his starring role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"– it was also being in the right place at the right time. 

The actor revealed on his Instagram that his first meeting with "The Force Awakens" director, JJ Abrams, happened by chance in the hallway of Bad Robot, the production studio co-founded by Abrams. 

Abrams, hanging out with Tom Cruise, Abrams served as a producer on Cruise's latest "Mission: Impossible" movie, happened to walk past Boyega as the young star waited for a meeting with Bryan Burk, the executive vice president at Bad Robot. Abrams recognized him from his starring role in 2011's "Attack the Block."

Boyega recapped the chance meeting:

JJ: boyega right ?
JB: yeah mate (eyes on Tom cruise)
JJ: I watched you in attack the block thats one of my favourite movies! We're gonna get you in something.
JB: thanks mate and sure

Boyega said he was initially wary of the promise ("because in Hollywood...well let's not get into that") but the encounter proved fruitful. Boyega went on to land the lead role of Finn in "The Force Awakens."

Even his run-in with Cruise eventually came full circle when Boyega met the superstar again at the 2015 BAFTA awards in London: 

Same year at baftas
Tom Cruise: so Star Wars huh?
JB: (grins) yeah mate

We'll see Boyega as Finn again when "Episode VIII"comes to theaters in 2017. Meanwhile, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is out on Blu-ray April 5. 

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