'Riverdale' Star KJ Apa to Portray Hollywood Icon Jimmy Stewart in Biopic 'Jimmy'
Riverdale alum KJ Apa has signed on for the challenging lead role in
Jimmy
, the official biopic of the beloved Oscar-winning actor James "Jimmy" Stewart. The project has the full support of the late actor's family, with his daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, serving as an executive producer.
The New Zealand-born actor has already begun physical transformations to capture Stewart's distinct characteristics, including his voice and lanky physicality.
About the Biopic '
Jimmy, the film will focus on Stewart's early rise in 1930s Hollywood, his Best Actor Oscar for The Philadelphia Story (1940), and his pivotal decision to enlist in the US Army Air Corps during World War II. Stewart became the first major American movie star to pause his career and volunteer for combat service, flying numerous bombing missions over Europe.
The narrative will follow his wartime heroism and his return to Hollywood to film one of his most enduring classics, It's a Wonderful Life.
Key Cast and Production Details
The cast assembling for the film is packed with recognizable names taking on other Hollywood legends:
KJ Apa as James "Jimmy" Stewart
Jason Alexander as MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer
Max Casella as director Frank Capra
Sarah Drew as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper
Jen Lilley as Stewart's wife, Gloria Singer Stewart
The film is directed by Aaron Burns from a script by Justin Strawhand. Production is currently underway, having begun in Ireland in September 2025.
Jimmy
is slated for a theatrical release in November 2026, perfectly timed to align with the holiday season and the annual screenings of It's a Wonderful Life