“The last time I used my New Zealand accent was on Shorty,” says KJ Apa, a faint twang of an American accent now peeking through.
It’s been 10 years since the actor left Shortland Street and Kane Jenkins, the character that brought him fame, and he admits he’s “nervous” to use the voice that defines him personally, but not professionally.
His loyal US fanbase knows the 28-year-old as all-American football player Archie Andrews in the Netflix series Riverdale, or Michigan native Ethan in A Dog’s Purpose.
But Apa’s latest role, in romantic drama The Map That Leads to You, has him embracing his own voice as Jack, a young Kiwi traveller revisiting his grandfather’s travels through Europe.
Using his accent was not in the script, and it was a risk, removing the line between KJ the actor and KJ the man.
“When I’m doing an accent, it kind of acts as the first line of defence between me and whatever character I’m playing, so I definitely feel a little more exposed,” says Apa.
But after conversations with his producer Marty Bowen, director Lasse Hallström (who gave a young Leonardo DiCaprio one of his first big breaks in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape), and a table read with co-star Madelyn Cline, he knew it was the right call.
“It really works for this movie and the way that Lasse likes to shoot, which is very off the cuff, we were in Europe and shooting a lot on location, so it felt right to use my own accent, because the character is very similar to me as well,” he says of the Prime Video project.
Despite living in LA for the past 10 years, Apa holds his identity and that sense of self close to his heart. His father, Keneti, a Samoan chief, and mum, Tessa, still live in Auckland, and Apa admits he gets emotional thinking about his roots.
“Being from New Zealand is the one thing in my life that can bring me to tears on an aeroplane or as I’m driving. It’s something that I can’t really articulate to a lot of my friends, in my community in LA, because it’s such a special thing.”
But after finding a new level of fame in Hollywood, does he still think about how his first-ever audience, New Zealanders, will receive his work?
“I guess I do have a hope that people from New Zealand are liking what I’m doing,” he says, pausing to reflect on the question.
“That’s a good question... I’ve never thought about that, but yeah, I guess I do actually.
“I feel like we [New Zealanders] can be a little judgmental, you know?” laughs the actor, referencing New Zealand’s tendency for tall poppy syndrome.
Judge as they may, Apa’s star power grows regardless and it is about to reach new heights. He will travel to Ireland shortly to play American actor and star of It’s A Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart, in a biopic about his life, something the Kiwi describes as a “dream role”.
“I’m really excited, material-wise. It’s one of the bigger roles for me as an actor to wrestle with and I’m really excited for the challenge.”
So, will he head home to New Zealand anytime soon, or have we lost him to the bright lights of Hollywood?
“That’s something I do think about. All my family’s still there, but I have a son now that I’m raising in LA; he’s American. He’s got his New Zealand passport, but I honestly don’t know.
“I would love to, but right now I’m really happy in LA. I’m so grateful to be there, and I’m grateful for everything that that city’s given me.”
Apa recently credited his 4-year-old son for much more than his reason to stay in LA, revealing on Andy Cohen Live that becoming a father forced him to get sober.
“A lot of things that I realised I had to button up, I buttoned up. And I realised that there’s no other way for me to do it,” the actor shared, adding that son Sasha “saved my life” after he got “lost” in fame and partying after Riverdale.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would have the life that I have,” the former King’s College student tells the Herald.
And while his career has turned out better than he could have imagined, Apa says he never lost his “belief and faith” that he could make it as an actor in some sense.
“That’s just the most beautiful thing about life – the fact that we just don’t know what’s around the corner.”
That belief now has him starring in The Map That Leads to You, a film about where the paths we choose may lead us. But Apa isn’t someone who looks back with regrets about what could have been.
“I really believe that there are all of these jobs, jobs that you don’t get, and jobs that you get, but the right project will find its way to you.
“I prefer to kind of think of it as the right thing finding me – not to say that you don’t chase things and and work for things. But I think that you can’t have too much expectation otherwise, at least for me, I inevitably just get let down,” he says.
One thing Apa says never lets him down is his favourite sports team.
Being the nephew of rugby legend Michael Jones, Apa says the All Blacks hold a special place in his heart and are “one of the few things in my life that make me truly happy”.
“I’m watching the All Blacks every time they play live, I stream it live wherever I am,” he says.
“When it’s rugby season and the All Blacks are playing, I have a lot to look forward to. It brings me a lot of happiness, like a lot of other people in New Zealand.”
Before saying our goodbyes, Apa segues again to excitedly talk to a fellow Kiwi about Richie Mo’unga re-signing with NZ Rugby, reminding me and his fans that no matter where his star takes him, the All Blacks are still his heroes and New Zealand will always be “home”.
The Map That Leads to You is out on Prime Video now.
Jenni Mortimer is the New Zealand Herald’s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.