KJ Apa

Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa (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. 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, the son of Tupa'i and Tessa Apa (née Callander). His father is Samoan and a matai (chief) of his village in Samoa; his mother is a European New Zealander. He has two older sisters and is the nephew of former rugby union player and coach Michael Jones. He attended high school at King's College in Auckland before beginning his acting career. Career