KJ Apa

Keneti James Fitzgerald "KJ" Apa (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealander actor and singer. He gained recognition for playing Kane Jenkins in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street (2013–2015) and Archie Andrews in the CW teen drama series Riverdale (2017–2023). He has also starred in the adventure drama film A Dog's Purpose, the teen drama film The Hate U Give (2018), and the biographical romantic drama film I Still Believe (2020). Apa released his debut solo album in 2021, the indie folk-rock album Clocks.

Early life Apa was born on 17 June 1997 at Waitakere Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, the son of Tupa'i and Tessa Apa (née Callander). His father is Samoan and a matai (chief) of his village in Samoa; his mother is a European New Zealander. His father is known as Keneti Apa, with Keneti being a Samoan rendering of "Kennedy": both Apa and his father are named after the late United States president John F. Kennedy. He has two older sisters. His uncle is former rugby union player and coach Michael Jones. Apa attended high school at King's College in Auckland before beginning his acting career.

Career From 2013 to 2015, Apa starred as Kane Jenkins in the New Zealand prime-time soap opera Shortland Street. In 2016, he was cast as Archie Andrews in the CW drama series Riverdale, after a four-month worldwide talent search.

In 2017, he starred as Ethan Montgomery in the comedy-drama film A Dog's Purpose, which was released on the same day as Riverdale premiered on television.

His next film role was replacing Kian Lawley in the 2018 drama film The Hate U Give. He starred as Griffin in the Netflix film The Last Summer, which was released on 3 May 2019. He also starred as singer Jeremy Camp in the biographical romantic drama film I Still Believe, which was released in March 2020.

Apa starred in Adam Mason's critically panned 2020 thriller film Songbird, produced by Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes. The film was accused of using the COVID-19 pandemic to create a thrill plot. In May 2021, Lionsgate Films announced he would appear in a military based drama West Pointer.

In 2021, he independently released his debut album, Clocks, which explores the folk rock and indie genres. It gained some attention on Spotify and TikTok.

In early 2024, Apa hosted his first art show in Los Angeles.

In August 2025, Apa attracted attention for a TikTok based musical persona known as Mr. Fantasy. Media outlets reported that the characters distinctive styling, comedic delivery and physical resemblance led many to speculate that Apa was behind the persona, although he has not publicly confirmed this. Mr. Fantasy released his self-titled debut single in the same month. The single charted on Spotify's Viral 50 lists in the United States and globally, and reached over 5 million streams on Spotify as of November 2025.

Coverage of the Mr. Fantasy persona sparked renewed discussion of Apa's public image. Parade, Pedestrian.TV and The Hollywood Reporter characterised the alter ego as a comedic departure from his earlier roles, noting that its surreal style and self-aware exaggeration contrasted with the actor's established on-screen persona. Reporting also highlighted that the viral interest in the character demonstrated Apa's growing influence on short-form digital platforms.

In May 2026, with the release of the music video for Mr. Fantasy's song "Do Me Right", which featured Apa's Riverdale co-stars Camila Mendes, Lili Reinhart and Madelaine Petsch, Apa addressed the rumours in an Instagram video by claiming that Mr. Fantasy was impersonating him, having "stolen [,,,] and misappropriated [his] image and [his] likeness."

Personal life

Apa was involved in a minor car accident in Vancouver in September 2017, but was uninjured when the passenger side of his car hit a light pole. The late-night crash was reportedly the result of him falling asleep at the wheel after a long day of filming.

In May 2021, Apa announced that he and French model Clara Berry were expecting their first child, who was born in September 2021. On Andy Cohen's SiriusXM radio show on 14 August 2025, Apa revealed that fatherhood helped him get sober. In an interview with People, Apa said that his former Riverdale co-star Charles Melton is his son's godfather.

Apa was raised in a Christian family and has stated that he is a Christian.

In 2018, Apa criticised Rugby player Israel Folau over homophobic comments the player made over Instagram.

In September 2022, he was awarded the matai title of Savae by his native village Moata'a in Samoa.

On the Wildmen podcast in July 2026, Apa discussed his struggles with substance abuse and an eating disorder, particularly during his time on Riverdale. He explained that the pressure to maintain a fit physique heavily contributed to his disordered eating, which involved bingeing and purging. He also revealed that his eating disorder became so intense that he once urinated on food to stop himself from eating it, only to return again to satisfy his cravings. Apa also confirmed that he had been sober for a year and a half.

Apa also spoke about how Cole Sprouse once hit him in an attempt to help him stop using drugs.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2017 A Dog's Purpose Teenage Ethan Montgomery 2018 The Hate U Give Chris Bryant 2019 The Last Summer Griffin Hourigan 2020 I Still Believe Jeremy Camp Dead Reckoning Niko Songbird Nico Price 2024 One Fast Move Wes Neal Also executive producer 2025 The Map That Leads to You Jack A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Gene 2026 James "Jimmy" Stewart Post-production Filming

Television Year Title Role Notes 2013–2015 Shortland Street Kane Jenkins Soap opera, 46 episodes 2016 The Cul de Sac Jack Recurring role 2017–2023 Riverdale Archie Andrews Main role, 137 episodes TBA Win Lockwood Main role; filming

Podcasts Year Title Role Notes 2026 The Summer Oath Ezra Voice role

Discography In addition to soundtrack work on Shortland Street, Riverdale, and I Still Believe, Apa has released independent music.

The Third Room (2012) Clocks (2021)

Awards and nominations