Is KJ Apa Pulling a Real-Life Hannah Montana on Us with Mr. Fantasy?
Between taking us through the epic highs and lows of Riverdale, and doing a shockingly-good impression of iconic actor Jimmy Stewart, KJ Apa has found a lot of ways to catch people’s attention. But none have persisted, in all their confusing glory, like the following question: is Apa moonlighting as the viral musician Mr. Fantasy?
The question was raised yet again after the recent TikTok Awards, where Mr. Fantasy not only galavanted his way down the red carpet, but made a surprise cameo onstage. And honestly, the question pops up every time Mr. Fantasy is seen at a public event, including when he was recently swinging around a float on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. So, let’s get to the bottom of it… as best as we possibly can.
While a part of me can’t remember life without Mr. Fantasy, the whole saga surrounding him and his identity only began in August of this year. A string of TikToks showed Mr. Fantasy talking to the camera with his black bob of hair, distinct teeth, British accent, and ’70s-inspired fashion sense. These videos, understandably, went viral, as fans started to do a double-take over whether or not this was Apa doing a bit.
A few weeks later, things escalated to another level when Mr. Fantasy actually released music: a single appropriately titled “Mr. Fantasy.” Accompanied by videos of Mr. Fantasy strutting around and singing his heart out, the song became a smash on TikTok and on music streaming platforms… in part because it is actually a genuinely good song. Many have argued online that, if the track was presented out of context, it could easily be mistaken for the newest Tame Impala or Harry Styles hit. That, combined with the lingering ambiguity and caginess over Mr. Fantasy’s identity, have created something that fans can’t look away from.
So, what’s the truth?
So, is Apa actually Mr. Fantasy? Mr. Fantasy does have his own lore and backstory, which are often cited in interviews: he grew up in England (compared to Apa, who was born in New Zealand), and moved to Los Angeles after being inspired by his grandmother. The musician and his manager, a mysterious man only known as John, have gone out of their way to dodge the Apa question. When The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Mr. Fantasy earlier this fall, they were asked not to bring up “silly actor boy TJ Apple.”
But that vague backstory is often at odds with the actual facts: both Apa and Mr. Fantasy have the exact same tattoos, their similar facial features are obvious, and even some of his former Riverdale co-stars have started to get in on the bit. It also doesn’t hurt that NBC published an article on the connection just before Mr. Fantasy made his Thanksgiving Day Parade debut on their own network.
Will we ever get official confirmation that Apa is Mr. Fantasy? There’s no way of knowing… but honestly, there’s something fun about that. It gives Apa a creative outlet that is so different from his onscreen acting persona, it brings some genuine bops into TikTok’s never-ending economy of music, and it’s led to so many jokes comparing Mr. Fantasy to the “Dark Betty” arc on Riverdale. It feels like the closest we’re going to get to a real-life version of Hannah Montana, and I welcome it. Rock on, Mr. Fantasy.
(featured image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TikTok)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
