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KJ Apa

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KJ Apa

Keneti James Fitzgerald "KJ" Apa (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand 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 (2017), the teen drama film The Hate U Give (2018), and the romantic drama film I Still Believe (2020). Apa released his debut solo album in 2021, the indie folk-rock album Clocks, and since 2025 has adopted the musical alter ego Mr. Fantasy.

Infobox

Born
Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa (1997-06-17) 17 June 1997 (age 28)Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation(s)
Actor, Singer
Years active
2013–present
Partner
Clara Berry (2020–2024)
Children
1
Relatives
Michael Jones (uncle)
Awards
Full list
Occupations
Actor, Singer

Tables

· Filmography › Film
2017
A Dog's Purpose
Role(s)
Teenage Ethan Montgomery
2018
The Hate U Give
Role(s)
Chris Bryant
2019
The Last Summer
Role(s)
Griffin Hourigan
2020
I Still Believe
Role(s)
Jeremy Camp
Dead Reckoning
Role(s)
Niko
Songbird
Role(s)
Nico Price
2024
One Fast Move
Role(s)
Wes Neal
2025
The Map That Leads to You
Role(s)
Jack
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Role(s)
Gene
2026
Jimmy †
Role(s)
James "Jimmy" Stewart
Notes
Post-production
TBA
Role(s)
Let's Have Kids! †
Notes
TBA
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
2025
The Map That Leads to You
Jack
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Gene
2026
Jimmy †
James "Jimmy" Stewart
Post-production
TBA
Let's Have Kids! †
TBA
Post-production
· Filmography › Television
2016
The Cul de Sac
Role(s)
Jack
Notes
Recurring role
2017–2023
Role(s)
Riverdale
Notes
Archie Andrews
Teen Fred Andrews
Role(s)
2 episodes
Asher Andrews
Role(s)
Episode: "Return to Rivervale"
Archibald Andrews
Role(s)
Episode: "Riverdale: RIP(?)"
Artie Andrews
Role(s)
Episode: "Angels in America"
2025
Entertainment Tonight
Role(s)
Mr. Fantasy
Notes
Interview performed in character
Dancing with the Stars
Role(s)
Audience member cameo
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Year
Title
Role
Notes
2013–2015
Shortland Street
Kane Jenkins
46 episodes
2016
The Cul de Sac
Jack
Recurring role
2017–2023
Riverdale
Archie Andrews
Main role
Teen Fred Andrews
2 episodes
Asher Andrews
Episode: "Return to Rivervale"
Archibald Andrews
Episode: "Riverdale: RIP(?)"
Artie Andrews
Episode: "Angels in America"
2025
Entertainment Tonight
Mr. Fantasy
Interview performed in character
Dancing with the Stars
Audience member cameo
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
· Awards and nominations
2018
Nominated
2019
Male TV Star of 2019
Role(s)
Nominated
Nominated
Teen Choice Awards
Role(s)
2017
Notes
Choice Breakout TV Star
Choice Drama TV Actor
Role(s)
Nominated
Choice Summer Movie Actor
Role(s)
The Last Summer
Notes
Nominated
2020
Drama Movie Star of the Year
Role(s)
I Still Believe
Notes
Nominated
Saturn Awards
Role(s)
2017
Notes
Breakthrough Performance
Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series
Role(s)
Nominated
Award
Year
Category
Nominated work
Result
Ref.
MTV Movie & TV Awards
2018
Best Kiss (with Camila Mendes)
Riverdale
Nominated
People's Choice Awards
2018
Drama TV Star of 2018
Nominated
2019
Male TV Star of 2019
Nominated
2020
Drama Movie Star of the Year
I Still Believe
Nominated
Saturn Awards
2017
Breakthrough Performance
Riverdale
Won
Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series
Nominated
2018
Nominated
2019
Nominated
Teen Choice Awards
2017
Choice Breakout TV Star
Nominated
2019
Choice Drama TV Actor
Nominated
Choice Summer Movie Actor
The Last Summer
Nominated

References

  1. Television New Zealand
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170420081102/http://tvnz.co.nz/shortland-street/get-know-kj-apa-5774958
  2. Riverdale
    https://www.vulture.com/2017/02/riverdale-kj-apa-archie-cw-dogs-purpose.html
  3. Salvos Warcry Magazine
    http://www.warcry.org.au/single-post/2017/11/11/KJ%E2%80%99s-key-to-success
  4. Riverdale's KJ Apa Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14WPcn4BXa0
  5. Business Insider
    https://www.businessinsider.com/riverdale-star-kj-apa-samoan-chief-2022-9
  6. Riverdale
    https://www.mediavillage.com/article/everythings-archie-for-riverdale-star-kj-apa/
  7. New Idea
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170520182718/https://nz.lifestyle.yahoo.com/life/a/25505183/our-little-brother-the-shortie-star/
  8. Riverdale
    https://deadline.com/2016/02/riverdale-archie-cast-kj-apa-cw-pilot-1201708847/
  9. A Dog's Purpose
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/britt-robertson-dennis-quaid-join-813173
  10. Riverdale
    https://deadline.com/2018/04/kj-apa-the-hate-u-give-replaced-kian-lawley-fox-2000-racial-slur-controversy-1202357976/
  11. BuzzFeed
    https://www.buzzfeed.com/ehisosifo1/the-last-summer-trailer-netflix-kj-apa-maia-mitchell
  12. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/i-still-believe-trailer-kj-apa-encounters-love-loss-watch-1269329
  13. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/kj-apa-sofia-carson-star-michael-bay-produced-pandemic-thriller-songbird-1303019
  14. Deadline
    https://deadline.com/2021/05/riverdale-kj-apa-rod-lurie-military-academy-west-pointer-lionsgate-1234764397/
  15. NME
    https://www.nme.com/features/tv-interviews/kj-apa-interview-solo-album-clocks-riverdale-3075047
  16. SPRING/BREAK Art Show
    https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/kj-apa-la-2024
  17. Stuff
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/culture/360811181/kj-apa-appears-release-song-under-mr-fantasy-tiktok-alias
  18. PEDESTRIAN.TV
    https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/kj-apa-mr-fantasy-tiktok/
  19. Apple Music
    https://music.apple.com/us/album/mr-fantasy-single/1834754687
  20. https://open.spotify.com/track/4zT0nZK95FOuPWt4WC5vXe
    https://open.spotify.com/track/4zT0nZK95FOuPWt4WC5vXe
  21. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/mr-fantasy-tiktok-sensation-new-music-interview-kj-apa-1236375754/
  22. Riverdale
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/riverdale-star-late-night-car-crash-working-16-hour-day-1041899
  23. People
    https://people.com/parents/kj-apa-expecting-first-baby-with-clara-berry/
  24. Us Weekly
    https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/kj-apas-girlfriend-clara-berry-gives-birth-welcomes-1st-child/
  25. People
    https://people.com/kj-apa-says-becoming-father-to-son-sasha-forced-him-get-sober-11791570
  26. People
    https://people.com/kj-apa-reveals-this-riverdale-costar-is-his-son-sasha-godfather-exclusive-11794374
  27. charisma.com
    https://mycharisma.com/spiritled-living/riverdale-star-says-god-has-really-anointed-his-new-christian-movie/
  28. "Savae title bestowed on Hollywood actor"
    https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/99622
  29. Disney Plus Press
    https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disney-plus-a-very-jonas-christmas-movie-premieres-november-14
  30. Variety
    https://variety.com/2025/film/news/jimmy-stewart-biopic-poster-kj-apa-its-a-wonderful-life-star-trailer-1236610629/
  31. Apple Music (NZ)
    https://music.apple.com/nz/album/clocks/1587225286
  32. Apple Music
    https://music.apple.com/us/album/mr-fantasy-single/1834754687
  33. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBw9AXEhiYA
  34. MR. FANTASY - Catapult (Official Video)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2bFArwyXGw
  35. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/mtv-movie-tv-awards-2018-nominations-complete-list-1108100
  36. E! Online
    https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/985171/people-s-choice-awards-2018-winners-the-complete-list
  37. People
    https://people.com/tv/peoples-choice-awards-2019-winners-list/
  38. Variety
    https://variety.com/2017/film/awards/saturn-awards-nominations-2017-rogue-one-walking-dead-1202000833/
  39. Comic Book Resources
    http://www.cbr.com/supergirl-luke-cage-doctor-strange-saturn-awards/
  40. Variety
    https://variety.com/2018/film/news/saturn-awards-nominations-2018-black-panther-walking-dead-1202727752/
  41. Collider
    https://collider.com/saturn-awards-nominations-2019/
  42. Riverdale
    https://variety.com/2017/tv/awards/teen-choice-awards-2017-tcas-fox-winners-list-riverdale-fifth-harmony-1202526197/
  43. Avengers: Endgame
    https://variety.com/2019/film/news/teen-choice-awards-nominations-avengers-endgame-riverdale-1203247410/
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