KJ Apa Says It Was 'Frustrating' Juggling “Riverdale” Seasons While Filming “One Fast Move” – So He Made A Drastic Change

The actor, 27, made a bold move to help distinguish between his motorcycle rider role in the film and his beloved CW character, Archie Andrews

Like many of his Riverdale costars, KJ Apa felt stuck in his role after five years as Archie Andrews.

The actor, 27, filmed one of his first major movie roles in between seasons 6 and 7 of the CW series two years ago, and he admitted that he struggled to separate himself from the Archie comics world to get into the zone for One Fast Move.

He told Entertainment Weekly that is was "frustrating" to toggle between the two worlds for the motorcycle movie, which he stars in alongside Eric Dane, because Riverdale was heavy on his mind.

"It was frustrating because I'd never been so connected to a film that I was about to shoot, while also working on Riverdale," he recalled. "You'd find yourself on set of Riverdale, thinking about another character that you're about to play, and it can become frustrating, especially because I had to shoot very soon after finishing that season."

Related: All About the 'Riverdale' Cast: From Upcoming Roles to Off-Screen Relationships

Apa's strategy to combat the in-between feeling was simple: he got rid of his signature Archie locks.

"We were talking about what my hair was going to be like for this movie, and then I ended up just being like, 'F--- it. I'm shaving my head.' And I shaved my head to get rid of all the red. I didn't want to see any red hair or anything," he said, referring to the look he rocked for six seasons by that point.

He told the outlet that cutting the red hair off "ended up being a good choice," adding, "I remember being in Atlanta and feeling so liberated to just be like, 'Okay, I can just focus on this now.'"

When the New Zealander cut his hair, he debuted his new look on Instagram, writing, "Reset. One Fast Move."

His Riverdale mom, Molly Ringwald, expressed her shock in a comment and complimented him, writing, "OMG. I ??????."

Related: 'Riverdale' Series Finale Brings Emotional Goodbyes, Surprise Cameos and an Unexpected Romance

Apa had been open about his excitement at getting to bid farewell to the red-haired look once Riverdale concluded. He told Vulture last August, "I've walked around with red hair for the past seven years," as he admitted he's looking forward to "not having red hair."

"There's a part of my identity that I want to get back that I don't really feel connected to.

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All seven seasons of Riverdale are now streaming on Netflix, and One Fast Move is available to stream on Prime Video.

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