John Boyega, who plays Finn in the new Star Wars trilogy, has said he is keen to have a relationship but that dating while being famous is "complicated".
The 27-year-old actor said that he has had to learn whether people are being genuine or reacting to his fame, although he was previously in love and had a five-year relationship.
Speaking to the Sunday Times Style magazine, he said: "Life is good. Health is good. Family is good. But I don't shy away from my want for a partnership and companionship."
The actor, who is currently single, said that it is not necessarily more difficult to have a relationship while being in the public eye, saying that "anyone who tells you it is, is lying!"
But he added: "It's complicated, though. There are people reacting to your celebrity a bit, you've got to suss that out early on.
John Boyega talks to RTÉ Entertainment
"But I never understood people who say, 'I can't be with you because I want to focus on my career.' What were you focused on before? Why can't you focus on both?
"It's about supporting each other's endeavours."
Asked if any other celebrities have messaged him directly on social media, Boyega said: "My DMs are dry! The other day, my mates were, like, 'Let's go in your DMs, let's see what it's like (to be famous).'
"My boy scrolls through, like, 'Bruv, this person is asking you what planet Tatooine is on.'
"Star Wars geeks. Those are the DMs I get."
Boyega added: "I like it, though, let's be honest: I love the nerdy stuff."
The London-born star will next appear in the ninth instalment of the Star Wars franchise, The Rise Of Skywalker, out next month.
He rose to international fame after debuting as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, having previously appeared in the film Attack The Block and TV series Becoming Human.
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