John Boyega has shared the first photos of his newborn son after revealing the baby arrived weeks earlier than his announcement.
The “Star Wars” actor, 34, posted a carousel on Instagram on Tuesday showing himself cradling the infant and gently stroking his head in a brief video clip. Boyega also included throwback shots from what appeared to be a baby shower, where he was photographed holding the bump of model Lashontae Heckard, his rumored partner.
“Our bundle of joy has been with us for some time now but thank you for all the well wishes. Also my sister is about to pop! Wish her well too! 🥰,” Boyega wrote in the Instagram caption.
Heckard, who has been linked to Boyega in romance rumors, left her own message in the comments section of the post. “Love and blessings to my Blessing!!!!❤️,” she wrote.
The couple’s low-profile approach to family life extends back to their wedding. In an interview published October 4, Boyega disclosed that he and his wife had already been married for two years at that point, meaning the ceremony took place around 2022.
“We both like the idea of celebrating something established, rather than celebrating the entry,” Boyega said about their decision to keep the wedding private.
“And by then, we’ll have to shut Nigeria down!,” the British-Nigerian actor joked, referencing a future celebration.
The same October interview marked when Boyega first confirmed the couple was expecting a baby boy. He did not name his wife in that conversation, though speculation had mounted after Heckard posted Instagram photos showing her wearing a wedding ring.
Boyega also revealed in the interview that he had become a stepfather. Heckard shares a young son, Brandon Byron Jennings Jr., with her former partner, NBA player Brandon Jennings.
Fellow celebrities flooded the comments of Boyega’s Tuesday Instagram post with congratulations. Tyrese Gibson wrote an enthusiastic message praising the couple’s parenting potential. “Praise God!!!!! I love you both…. You guys are amazing already great parents and now it’s new favor and new blessings!!!!!! Congratulations on the new angel….. Jon sir you are applying a lot of pressure for a brother like me!!!!!!!!!! Yikes!!!! Lol,” Gibson commented.
Actress Teyonah Parris simply wrote, “Congratulations!!!”
The baby announcement arrives during a period of significant personal growth for Boyega, who has balanced a high-profile acting career with increasingly private family commitments. His decision to reveal the birth after the fact mirrors the couple’s established pattern of sharing milestones only once they are well settled.
Boyega rose to global fame playing Finn in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, beginning with 2015’s “The Force Awakens.” He has since taken on producing roles and championed greater representation in British and American film. His off-screen life has drawn growing interest from fans, particularly after he began hinting at a serious relationship through occasional social media appearances with Heckard.
The actor’s sister, whom he mentioned is nearing her own due date, appears poised to make the family expansion a double celebration in coming weeks.
Boyega has not yet shared his son’s name or exact birth date.