Riverdale’s KJ Apa says he was ‘literally a virgin’ when he started the show; talks about on-set romance with coworkers
Published on: Aug 27, 2025 11:01 pm IST
urns out Riverdale wasn’t just a chaotic fever dream for its fans — it was a life-changing, and slightly awkward, experience for the actors too
Whether you loved it or rolled your eyes at it, Riverdale was one of those shows that had teens glued to their screens. But in a new revelation, KJ Apa just shared something that might explain the show’s awkward, sometimes questionable on-screen chemistry: he was literally a virgin when he started filming.
The New Zealand actor, now 28, broke out as Archie Andrews when Riverdale premiered in 2017. Looking back, he admitted the experience was life-changing — and complicated. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly alongside The Map That Leads to You costar Madelyn Cline, he compared the behind-the-scenes energy on Riverdale to other hit teen dramas like Outer Banks.
“There’s a lot of drama that comes on shows like that. Not to say in like a gossipy kind of way, but it’s just part of the environment, I guess — part of the deal,” Apa said. He also admitted how relationships among the cast blurred lines. “You have sex with them and stuff, and then things start happening, and then things get a little complicated, and then you’re on set, and now you’re fighting with them,” he explained.
But the biggest surprise? Apa confessed, “I was a virgin when I started on that show, too, for the first couple years. I was a proud Christian boy. I was.” Further reflecting on how fast things shifted, he added, “You sort of just have sex with them, and then you just sort of see what happens. It’s just part of the deal.”
And while his own experience was unique, the cast around him was living through its own set drama. Cole Sprouse (Jughead) and Lili Reinhart (Betty) were in a relationship for three years, while Camila Mendes (Veronica) and Charles Melton (Reggie) dated on and off for about two years. For fans, it adds a whole new layer of context to a show that was already known for its over-the-top chaos both on screen and off.
