KJ Apa to star as late Sublime singer Bradley Nowell in new biopic
KJ Apa is said to be playing the late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell, who died of a heroin overdose in 1996 at the age of 28, in the biopic directed by Justin Chon.
Deadline reported Thursday that the 27-year-old actor will play the singer-songwriter in the film, which is executive produced by Sublime members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, Nowell's widow Troy DenDekker and Nowell's son (and new Sublime singer) Jacob Nowell.
According to the outlet, Chung and Bobby Hundreds are writing the screenplay for 3000 Pictures, based on a draft by Chris Munday.
The Long Beach, California-based band rose to fame in the mid-1990s with hits such as “What I Got,” “Santeria” and “Wrong Way,” incorporating elements of ska, punk and reggae into their songs, but most of their mainstream success came after Bradley's death in San Francisco on May 25, 1996.
The Auckland, New Zealand native “has been pursuing the role for almost two years since he found out about the project,” a source told the outlet.
KJ Apa, 27, will play the late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell in the biopic directed by Justin Chon and was pictured in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Nowell is pictured on stage in New York in April 1996, about a month before his death from a heroin overdose on May 25, 1996.
The actor, who played popular Archie Andrews on The CW's modern-day Archie Comics series Riverdale from 2017 to 2023, had multiple meetings and auditions for the role, and “producers and executives realized he was a perfect fit for the role,” the outlet reported.
Apa, who appeared in Prime Video's One Fast Move last month, was officially offered the role after Nowell's estate approved the casting.
Many music and movie fans took to X/Twitter and Reddit to speculate about Apa and the film.
“You have to admire KJ Apa's effort,” one user said. “The fact that he pursued this role for almost two years shows how much it means to him. If that's the kind of energy he puts into the screen, this biopic is going to be something special!”
Another fan commented, “KJ Apa really gave his all to this role! 2 years of dedication and persistence? That's the kind of passion you need in a biopic like Sublime.”
One fan suggested the role could be a watershed moment in Apa's career following the end of Riverdale last year.
“Most of his Riverdale co-stars have been doing just fine while he was out of the picture,” the user noted. “This could either get him back on track or send him flying.”
One user suggested that Jacob Nowell should have played his late father in the biopic, saying: “Maybe they could have had the son play the father…”
The Long Beach, California-based band incorporates elements of ska, punk and reggae into their timeless songs and was photographed in New York in 1995.
Filmed in 2019, the Auckland, New Zealand native said he had been “pursuing the role for almost two years, ever since I found out about the project.”
Nowell's son, Jacob Nowell, the new singer in Sublime, is one of the film's executive producers and was pictured during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in July.
X/Twitter fans were mixed about the news of the late musician APA's appearance.
Many Sublime fans took to Reddit to comment on the film.
On Sublime's Reddit page, a fan asked Apa: “Can he sing? Can he play guitar? Can you make me believe he's Bradley Nowell for more than 90 minutes? I'm seriously asking this. I have no idea who this guy is but my girlfriend told me he plays Archie on Riverdale.”
One fan on the thread wondered what the film's storyline would be, given the band's unconventional rise to fame following Nowell's death.
“Honestly, what is this movie about?” one user commented. “Apart from the drugs and fame, Bradley seems to live a pretty normal life. I can't imagine they would make a movie about an up and coming party band.”
“Are they just going to show them partying to the top? Maybe there are more 'side stories' to the Sublime story, but I've read and seen it all and have no idea how the movie gets made.”
Another user predicted the film would be “just like every other music 'biopic'” and wrote, “Humble origins, success, drugs, downfall, [and] redemption.
“Like Bohemian Rhapsody, it might still be fun to watch, but it covers very little new ground. I'd like to see it, because in my opinion, [there] There is very little official documentation about the band.”
