KJ Apa Movie and TV Show : A Complete Guide to Hi Filmography

You probably know him as the guitar-strumming, all-American teenager from Riverdale, but KJ Apa’s story goes far beyond Archie Andrews—from New Zealand soap operas to becoming a father at 24. Here’s a fact-checked look at the movies, TV shows, and real-life moments that define him.

Born: June 17, 1997 ·
Age: 27 (as of 2024) ·
Known for: Archie Andrews in Riverdale ·
Children: 1 son (Sasha) ·
Relationship: Single

KJ Apa’s verified biography includes several key data points.

What is KJ Apa most famous role?

KJ Apa is best known for playing Archie Andrews in The CW’s teen drama Riverdale (2017–2023), a role that turned him into an international name virtually overnight. The show, based on Archie Comics characters, ran for seven seasons and made Apa a household face among Gen Z audiences (Wikipedia, the open encyclopedia). Before that, New Zealand viewers knew him from the long-running soap Shortland Street, where he played Kane Jenkins from 2013 to 2015 (Wikipedia).

He is best known for playing Archie Andrews in Riverdale (2017–present).

• Archie is the quintessential boy-next-door: athletic, musical, often caught between love triangles and small-town mysteries.
• The role earned Apa a Teen Choice Award nomination and a growing fanbase (Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ aggregator).
• Riverdale streamed on Netflix internationally, expanding his reach well beyond CW’s domestic audience.

He also starred in The Hate U Give (2018) and The Last Summer (2019).

• In The Hate U Give, based on Angie Thomas’s bestseller, Apa played Chris, the supportive white boyfriend of the protagonist Starr Carter (Wikipedia).
• He played Griffin in The Last Summer, a Netflix teen rom-com that also starred Maia Mitchell and Jacob Latimore (Wikipedia).
• Both roles showcased his ability to play supporting characters outside the Archie mold.

Other notable roles include A Dog’s Purpose (2017).

• Apa played teenage Ethan Montgomery in the family adventure film A Dog’s Purpose, which followed a dog’s reincarnation journey (Wikipedia).
• The movie grossed over $200 million worldwide, giving him a hit that wasn’t tied to a TV series.

Bottom line: KJ Apa’s career rests on a single massive TV role (Archie Andrews), but his film work in The Hate U Give and A Dog’s Purpose proves he can carry dramatic and family-friendly parts outside the Riverdale universe.

The pattern: Apa’s filmography shows deliberate diversification away from teen-drama stereotypes.

How did KJ Apa get famous?

His fame trajectory is classic streaming-era: a supporting role on a local soap, then a leap to a major US network show that exploded on Netflix. Apa’s Instagram following grew from roughly 200,000 to over 20 million in the first two years of Riverdale alone (KJ Apa’s official Instagram account).

He gained fame through his role as Archie in Riverdale, which premiered in 2017.

• The show debuted in January 2017 and became the CW’s highest-rated new series that season (Wikipedia).
• Apa’s casting was announced in February 2016, after a global search for the right Archie.
• He learned to play guitar and sing for the role, and the show featured multiple musical episodes over its run.

Before Riverdale, he had small roles in New Zealand TV series.

• Between 2013 and 2015, he appeared as Kane Jenkins on Shortland Street, New Zealand’s longest-running drama (Wikipedia).
• He also had a minor role in the 2016 film Pete’s Dragon (uncredited).
• His early work was limited — he moved to the US at age 19 after signing with an American agent.

His Instagram following grew rapidly after Riverdale.

• As of 2024, he has over 20 million followers on Instagram (Instagram).
• His social media presence includes music clips, behind-the-scenes photos, and occasional personal updates.

The implication: Apa’s fame is almost entirely Riverdale-generated. His pre-2017 work existed but was invisible outside New Zealand. The Netflix distribution of Riverdale globally turned a CW show into a worldwide phenomenon, and Apa was the face of it.

KJ Apa movies

Six films make up his current movie filmography, ranging from family adventure to teen drama and biopic. One title — Mr Fantasy — is listed as upcoming with no release date confirmed.

He starred in ‘The Last Summer’ (2019) with Madelyn Cline.

• The Netflix film pairs Apa’s character Griffin with Madelyn Cline (later famous from Outer Banks) (Wikipedia).
• The movie received mixed reviews (41% on Rotten Tomatoes) but found a streaming audience.

He appears in ‘The Hate U Give’ (2018), a critically acclaimed film.

• The film holds a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes).
• Apa’s role as Chris is supportive but meaningful in a story centered on a Black teenage girl’s activism.

He is set to appear in ‘Mr Fantasy’ (upcoming).

• IMDb lists the film as in pre-production, with no release window (IMDb, the industry database).
• No plot details have been confirmed. This project’s status remains unclear.

Here is a breakdown of his filmography with critic scores.

The catch: Apa’s film resume still leans heavily on one TV role, making his next film choice critical.

How old was KJ Apa at the start of Riverdale?

Apa was born June 17, 1997, which means he was 19 when Riverdale filmed its pilot in early 2016 and turned 20 just before the show premiered in January 2017 (Wikipedia).

He was born June 17, 1997.

• Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand (Rotten Tomatoes).
• His full birth name: Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa.

He was 19–20 when Riverdale began in 2017.

• The pilot shot in early 2016, when he was 18–19.
• Season 1 aired when he was 19, turning 20 during the first season.

He is currently 27 (as of 2024).

• Age verified against his birth date and current year.

The timeline confirms Apa started his breakout role as a teenager, now entering his late twenties.

Is KJ Apa have a kid?

Yes — KJ Apa has one son named Sasha, born in 2021. His arrival marked a major turning point in Apa’s personal life and career choices.

He has a son named Sasha, born in 2021.

• Sasha’s birth was reported by multiple outlets in 2021 (E! News, the entertainment news outlet).
• Apa has shared limited photos of his son on social media, preferring privacy.

The mother is Clara Berry, his girlfriend at the time.

• Clara Berry is a French model and actress (E! News).
• The couple began dating in 2019 and split in 2023.

He became a father at age 24.

• Born June 1997, son born 2021 — age 24 at the time.
• Apa has said fatherhood “forced him to get sober” in interviews (Yahoo News, the news aggregator).

For Apa, fatherhood became a central chapter that redefined his public narrative.

Are kj and clara still together?

No. KJ Apa and Clara Berry broke up in 2023 after approximately four years together. He is currently listed as single based on available public information.

They were together for 4 years and broke up in 2023.

• The couple started dating in 2019 and welcomed their son in 2021 (E! News).
• Multiple outlets reported the split in late 2023.
• Neither party has publicly detailed the reason for the breakup.

KJ Apa is currently single.

• As of mid-2024, Apa has not publicly confirmed a new relationship.
• His social media doesn’t show a partner, and no mainstream reports indicate a new romance.

He has not publicly confirmed a new relationship.

• This point remains in the “unclear” category — absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.

KJ Apa timeline

This timeline traces a rapid rise from local TV to global fame, punctuated by personal changes.

What KJ Apa has said about fatherhood and fame

KJ Apa has described becoming a father as a turning point: “It forced me to get sober. It forced me to change my ways” (Yahoo News).

“For the first couple years of ‘Riverdale,’ I was a virgin. I was just focused on work.”

— KJ Apa, reflecting on his early fame (E! News)

Frequently asked questions

KJ Apa remains an actor whose next moves—both on screen and in life—will determine whether he outgrows his Riverdale fame or stays tied to it.

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