Playing any iconic character has its challenges – and being Archie Andrews, whose face has graced popular American comics since 1941, is no exception. KJ Apa plays Archie in the hit teen drama Riverdale and, in Interview Magazine, discusses the pressures of playing the character five seasons in. Talking about his new film Songbird, Apa states he “felt so free coming from a show where I feel like I’m in jail a lot of the time”.
He continues on the topic of playing Archie Andrews, “There are so many restrictions on what I can and can’t do. With this character, it was like, “Wow, this is what it’s like to really express myself in a natural way.” I wasn’t covered in makeup or hair products. I had long hair and a beard. I just felt free.”
When interviewer and actress Demi Moore comments on the “specific framework” that comes with playing Archie Andrews, Apa responds: “There’s been so much pressure in playing Archie. I’m so grateful for the show and its success, but at the same time, there’s a lot of baggage that comes with that success.”
The Riverdale heartthrob mentions that it’s helpful having co-stars who relate to this success. “Cole [Sprouse, who plays Jughead Jones] is an amazing person to have on set, because he’s been doing this his whole life. I try and look at it from a fan’s perspective to understand the way they think.”
KJ Apa feels that being an actor on a popular show like Riverdale often obscures reality in the eyes of the fans. “I try and look at it from a fan’s perspective to understand the way they think,” says the Archie Andrews actor, “But there are times when I’m like, ‘Wow, they really have no idea that we are actual people. They can’t separate us from our characters.'”
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