Introduction
Keneti James Fitzgerald "KJ" Apa (born 17 June 1997) is a New Zealand actor. He is known for playing Kane Jenkins in the New Zealand prime-time soap opera Shortland Street. In 2016, he was cast as Archie Andrews in Riverdale after a four-month worldwide talent search. In 2015, he was cast as teenage Ethan Montgomery in A Dog's Purpose, released in 2017.
Personal life
Apa was born in Auckland, the son of Keneti and Tessa Apa (née Callander). His father is Samoan and is a Matai (chief) of his village in Samoa. He has two older sisters, Arieta and Timēna. He attended high school at King's College, Auckland before embarking on his acting career. Apa plays guitar and piano. 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 event was reportedly the result of Apa falling asleep at the wheel after a long shoot the previous night.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | A Dog's Purpose | Teen Ethan Montgomery | |
| Altar Rock | In post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–2015 | Shortland Street | Kane Jenkins | 46 episodes |
| 2016 | The Cul De Sac | Jack | 6 episodes |
| 2017–present | Riverdale | Archie Andrews | Lead role |
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 | |
| Breakthrough Performance | Won | ||||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Breakout TV Star | Nominated |