On January 26, 2017, the CW Television Network brought the characters from the Archie Comic to life in the TV series Riverdale . The Netflix teen soap opera that has aired 3 seasons has received favorable reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website and the main character Archie Andrews was played by the adorable KJ Apa.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the series creator, revealed that they only discovered KJ Apa 3 days before the Archies’ test outside the studio and KJ was chosen for the role at the last minute!
If you’re wondering who the Netflix series actor KJ Apa really is, well this article will tell you everything you need to know about this young TV star – including his age, ethnicity, height, his sexual orientation.
KJ Apa Bio (Age, Ethnicity)
His full name is Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa and it’s pretty obvious where he got his stage name KJ from – his first two names. The actor was born on June 17, 1997 in Auckland, New Zealand. Before his acting career, he received his high school education at King’s College in Auckland. KJ is Kiwi (that’s what a New Zealand citizen is called) and he has Samoan and European Kiwi blood coursing through his bloodstream and his ethnicity is identified as such.
He was the lead actor in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street Shortland Street is one of New Zealand’s longest-running television series and was filmed in a fictional Shortland Hospital.
In 2015, KJ played Ethan Montgomery in the comedy The Purpose of a Dog , however the drama was released in 2017. His big break came when he moved to the US and was chosen to portray Archie Andrews on Netflix’s Riverdale. After a four-month audition, he was selected and starred alongside Lili Reinhart (Betty Cooper), Camilla Mendes (Veronica), and Cole Sprouse (Jughead Jones).
On January 17, 2017, KJ shared an Instagram photo of his swollen and broken arm. The actor’s frequent injuries from accidents are a growing concern for his fans. He had previously injured his arm while filming an episode of Riverdale, and at another point in time, KJ Apa was involved in a car accident after falling asleep at the wheel of his car after a long, tiring time on set. However, he was spared the accident.
In 2018, as a YouTuber and actor, Klan Lawley was fired from the American drama The Hate-U-Give , KJ stepped in as a replacement and the former actor’s role was a recast and scenes of the drama re-shoot.
Wealth (income and earnings)
KJ Apa’s first major role since beginning his acting career was in Riverdale . The actor reportedly makes $200,000 each season. When combined with earnings from other television appearances, the New Zealand star’s net worth is put at $3 million. While still in his teens, young KJ has a very bright future ahead of him and is sure to earn more if he continues to excel.
who are his parents
His father is Keneti Apa, a Samoan village chief, while his mother’s name is Tessa Apa. KJ Apa has a special relationship with his mother and they are quite close. He often refers to her as his best friend. He even adopted a pet name Tess that he calls her. The actor has two older sisters with whom he grew up.
Is he dating, girlfriend or is he gay?
The Kiwi TV star has been very reserved about his love life, unlike his co-stars he has been very private about his romantic life. Previous speculation of a love affair with his girlfriend Camilla Mendez, who is actually a friend of his family, has been debunked.
Though he hasn’t indicated he’s dating anyone, his Instagram photos say otherwise as he snaps arm in arm with a cute blonde who happens to be 16-year-old Corinne Isherwood, a Canadian model.
Fans rumored that KJ and Corinne started their relationship in New Zealand in November 2017, however the actor had opened up to Cosmopolitan magazine that he’s still too busy to be in a relationship and is open to a relationship if he is find the right girl
KJ Apa raised many fans’ eyebrows over his sexuality on a November 14, 2016 episode of Riverdale, where he (as Archie Andrew) kissed Joaquin (Rob Raco) at the college’s detention center.
Thanks to his close stance on his romantic life, many fans take the kiss as a reference to the actor’s gay sexuality, while others dismiss it as queerbaiting or just following the script. However, there is no solid evidence that the actor is gay, nor has he admitted it himself.
what is his size
The New Zealand star is said to be 5ft 111.80m and his height is complemented by a weight of 73kg with dark brown eyes and hair to match his physique and makeup.