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KJ Apa

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For other uses, see KJ.
KJ Apa
File:K.J. Apa (44563642331) (cropped 2).jpg
Born Savae Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa
(1997-06-17) 17 June 1997 (age 26)
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation
  • Actor
  • singer
  • musician
Years active 2013–present
Children 1
Relatives Michael Jones (uncle)
Awards Full list
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Labels Independent

Savae Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa, Moata'a[lower-alpha 1] (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand actor, singer and musician. He has received various accolades, including a Saturn Award and nominations for an MTV Movie & TV Award, two People's Choice Awards and two Teen Choice Awards, and was appointed the matai title of Savae chief of his village Moata'a in September 2022.

He began acting playing Kane Jenkins in the New Zealand primetime soap opera Shortland Street from 2013 to 2015. In 2017, Apa was cast in the lead role of Archie Andrews in the CW drama series Riverdale.[2] In film, Apa has starred in A Dog's Purpose (2017), The Hate U Give (2018) and I Still Believe (2020). In 2021, he released his debut solo album, the indie folk-rock album Clocks, which received some attention on Spotify and TikTok.

Early life

Apa was born on 17 June 1997 at Waitakere Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand,[3] the son of Tupa'i and Tessa Apa (née Callander). His father is Samoan and a matai (chief) of his village in Samoa;[4] his mother is a European New Zealander.[5] He has two older sisters and is the nephew of former rugby union player and coach Michael Jones.[6] He attended high school at King's College in Auckland before beginning his acting career.[7]

Career

Early work and breakthrough (2013–2017)

File:K.J. Apa (44563642331) (cropped).jpg
Apa in 2018

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.[2]

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.[8]

Further films and critical fluctuations (2018–2020)

His next film role was replacing Kian Lawley in the 2018 drama film The Hate U Give.[9] He starred as Griffin in the Netflix film The Last Summer, which was released on 3 May 2019.[10] He also starred as singer Jeremy Camp in the biographical romantic drama film I Still Believe, which was released in March 2020.[11]

File:KJ Apa (48478685986).jpg
Apa in 2019

Apa starred in Adam Mason's critically panned 2020 thriller film Songbird, produced by Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes.[12] 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.[13]

Music ventures (2021–present)

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.[14]

Personal life

File:KJ Apa & Camila Mendes (43096312834).jpg
Apa at San Diego Comic-Con with Riverdale costar Camila Mendes

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.[15]

File:KJ Apa (31026088678).jpg
Apa leaving San Diego Comic-Con in 2018

In May 2021, Apa announced that he and French model Clara Berry were expecting their first child,[16] who was born in September 2021.[17]

Apa was raised in a Christian family and has stated that he is a Christian.[5] In April 2018, he publicly criticised Australian rugby player Israel Folau for claiming that it was God's plan to send gay people to hell, describing Folau's comments as "disappointing".[18]

Moata'a rule

In September 2022, he was awarded the matai title of Savae by his native village Moata'a in New Zealand.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2017 A Dog's Purpose Teenage Ethan Montgomery
2018 The Hate U Give Chris
2019 The Last Summer Griffin Hourigan
2020 I Still Believe Jeremy Camp
2020 Dead Reckoning Niko
2020 Songbird Nico Price
TBA One Fast Move TBA

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013–2015 Shortland Street Kane Jenkins Series regular (381 episodes)
2016 The Cul de Sac Jack 6 episodes
2017–present Riverdale Archie Andrews Main role
Fred Andrews (young) 2 episodes
Archibald Andrews (ancestor) 1 episode

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)[19]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2017 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series Riverdale Nominated [20]
Breakthrough Performance Won [21]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Breakout TV Star Nominated [22]
2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Kiss (with Camila Mendes) Nominated [23]
People's Choice Awards Drama TV Star of 2018 Nominated [24]
Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series Nominated [25]
2019 People's Choice Awards Male TV Star of 2019 Nominated [26]
Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series Nominated [27]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Drama TV Actor Nominated [28]

Note

  1. ↑ In September 2022, Apa was appointed Savae, an esteemed matai title of his native New Zealand Samoan village of Moata'a.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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