KJ Apa on Playing Jimmy Stewart: 'I Have to Do It' — SkimNews
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- KJ Apa stars as Jimmy Stewart in the biopic "Jimmy," directed by Aaron Burns, opening in theaters Nov. 6 after its world premiere at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis; the film chronicles Stewart's Hollywood rise, his WWII service flying 20 B-24 bomber missions over Europe and rising to colonel, and his return via Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."
- KJ Apa, best known as Archie in CW's "Riverdale," will receive a Spotlight Award on Oct. 18 at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
- KJ Apa worked with dialect coach Eliza Simpson daily to capture Stewart's voice, watching all his films and repeatedly listening and repeating — a process originally begun for his now-shelved role as Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell in "The Sublime Biopic."
- KJ Apa denied being the anonymous singer Mr. Fantasy, saying "I say the truth, which is no," while praising the performer's confidence and energy.
Why it matters: KJ Apa, best known for 'Riverdale,' is taking on a high-risk impersonation role that requires mastering one of cinema's most iconic voices, while using the press cycle to publicly tie his addiction recovery to his identity. The Nov. 6 theatrical release and Oct. 18 Spotlight Award concentrate a major career repositioning into a roughly three-week window.
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