Riverdale star KJ Apa elaborates on previous comments in which he compared working on the teen drama to being in jail. Developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and premiering on The CW in 2017, Riverdale is based on the characters of Archie Comics. Initially, for Riverdale's first few seasons, the live-action adaptation followed Archie Andrews (Apa) to explore the hidden darkness lingering beneath the seemingly perfect titular town. Although the show has changed over the years, even introducing a major time-jump in Riverdale season 5, the storylines continue to be notable for its more tawdry and outlandish bent.
Back in Feburary, while promoting his COVID-themed thriller Songbird, Apa spoke with co-star Demi Moore. The actor compared Riverdale and the new film, saying that he felt freer while working on Songbird. Apa said that there were a lot of restrictions on what Archie could do in the series. By contrast, Apa said he'd experienced how working on Songbird with Moore and others gave him the opportunity to express himself in a more natural way. The part of Apa’s comments that drew the most attention, however, was when he compared his Riverdale role to being in jail.
Apa clarifies those comments in a new and lengthy interview with NME. The actor noted that he called Aguirre-Sacasa to clarify what he meant, and said he understands why fans would be disappointed with his statement. Apa concluded that, ultimately, he was trying to make a point of comparison between the creative restriction on a "huge machine of a show" like Riverdale and the relatively open environment of smaller projects like Songbird. Read Apa’s full comments below:
“That’s not really how I see it. I can understand why the fans are mad because they want to be watching a show where the actors playing those characters are invested in the work. And we are all so invested in the work, because otherwise why would we be on the show? We all love the show and the characters we’re playing. The whole jail statement is like what I was talking to you about before. We’re on a huge machine of a show – with a huge global reach and a huge fanbase – and it’s a show where we don’t get to… our voices aren’t heard as much as other creative people who are involved. You know, like our showrunners and writers. As actors, we very much have a job to do, and that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s enjoyable and we’re grateful, and that we love to do it. It’s just… not like being involved in other projects where maybe we have more of a voice in the creativity.”
At the time, even for those who didn’t feel strongly about the CW series one way or the other, Apa’s comments struck a negative chord. They were the second notable instance of a Riverdale star comparing their time on the show to jail. Lili Reinhart, who portrays Betty, also made similar remarks. In the middle of a pandemic, where some risked their lives just by doing their jobs, and others found themselves out of work entirely, there was understandably little patience for such hyperbolic comparisons about the show that gave Reinhart and Apa their big breaks. It’s clear now, however, that Apa might have been signaling his frustration with some of the odd twists and broad characterizations on Riverdale. If so, that is certainly a frustration that many fans would share.
It will likely be the case that Apa will be able to move on to other movies and shows down the line given his newly-gained star power. In the immediate future, however, Riverdale season 6 will premiere on November 16. Trailers and previews have suggested Midsommar influences, with Cheryl joining a cult. The coming episodes will also include the involvement of Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman. That surprise has left fans will plenty of questions about the CW show, and just how wide the Riverdale world will expand.
Source: NME