KJ Apa on Becoming Jimmy Stewart, Speculation That He Is the Singer Mr. Fantasy and Opening Up About His Addictions and Recovery: ‘This Is A Huge Part of Who I Am’

KJ Apa says playing Jimmy Stewart in the biopic “Jimmy” felt daunting because he did not look or sound like the actor. He committed after revisiting “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and hopes audiences will understand how Stewart’s wartime service and uncertainty after returning home shaped his career.

Apa prepared by watching Stewart’s films and practising his voice with dialect coach Eliza Simpson. The film, directed by Aaron Burns, follows Stewart’s Hollywood rise and Second World War service: after winning an Oscar in 1941, he enlisted, flew 20 missions over Europe and became a colonel. The interview also touches on Apa’s openness about addiction and recovery, and speculation that he is singer Mr. Fantasy.