'Riverdale' star KJ Apa to play Jimmy Stewart in upcoming biopic

Stewart was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar five times, winning for "The Philadelphia Story." He also starred in the Christmas staple "It's a Wonderful Life." It seems the movie will include all that, but also cover his time as a combat pilot during World War II, which bisected his acting career. Also in the cast are Jason Alexander as Louis B. Mayer, Max Casella as Frank Capra, and Sarah Drew as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Of course, in the lead role, there's Apa.

The actor is best known for playing Archie in "Riverdale." That show was a mixed bag, but Apa was received fairly well. Apa will next be seen in Amazon Prime's romance drama "The Map That Leads to You," which is a good chance to see the actor without his hair dyed red. 

It's interesting that Apa will be playing the All-American Stewart, given that he's from New Zealand (and his father is Samoan). Of course, that doesn't mean he can't do a good job at playing the popular actor. Stewart had a distinct manner and voice many people are well-familiar with, so maybe Apa can hang out with Dana Carvey a bit to learn the ins-and-outs of doing a killer Jimmy Stewart. 

(h/t Variety)