CW(NEW YORK) — Actor K.J. Apa is excited for the new season of Riverdale, but said the show is missing his close friend and former co-star, Luke Perry.
Apa, who plays Archie Andrews on the teen crime series, told Good Morning America that the whole cast has felt the tremendous loss of Perry, who played Apa’s onscreen father, Fred. Perry died last March of a massive stroke at age 52.
“It’s definitely different on set now,” Apa said. “I think we’re missing something, you know? I miss him, I miss just talking to him and listening to him.”
Before fans see Apa in the highly-anticipated fifth season, they can watch the 22-year-old New Zealand-born actor in his upcoming movie, I Still Believe. Despite the film’s heavy subject, which is based on a true story about a Christian singer whose wife gets cancer early on in their relationship, Apa called the “heart-wrenching story” some of his proudest work.
“I couldn’t even tell you guys how excited I am about this movie, it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “It’s a beautiful story about love, about hope, about loss and kind of journeying through your biggest struggle and fear and coming out the other side still believing in God.”
But Apa said the most challenging part for him was doing his own singing in the film.
“I play the guitar, but I’m not a very confident singer,” Apa said. “So that was honestly one of the things that made me hesitant about playing the role — I had a lot of help from a lot of people to get me there.”
I Still Believe will be in theaters nationwide on March 13.
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