In the past six months, Hollywood has seen numerous controversial calls for reshoots on many major films. One of the most notable films to undergo reshoots recently was All the Money in the World, which was forced to see important scenes reshot after revelations that star Kevin Spacey was involved in multiple sexual misconduct allegations, with Christopher Plummer taking over the role a mere month prior to the film’s release, which remained the same.
A major recast has occurred once again as 20th Century Fox announced they are replacing YouTube star Kian Lawley with Riverdale star K.J. Apa in the upcoming drama, The Hate U Give, according to Deadline. The decision came in response to the resurfacing of videos in which Lawley is seen saying multiple racial slurs, for which he has apologized on both his Twitter and YouTube accounts.
This apology would not be enough, however, as the film, based on the 2017 novel of the same name written by Angie Thomas, is heavily inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, with the slurs Lawley uttered proving to be counteractive to the core of the movement and film. Lawley was also dropped by his talent agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
20-year-old Apa has been blazing a trail for himself in his five years in Hollywood, starring in the box office smash A Dog’s Purpose and the hit CW adaptation of the Archie Comics-inspired Riverdale as Archie, which was just renewed for a third season. In preparation for his major role in Hate, in which he plays the boyfriend of the lead teen character who witnesses her unarmed friend killed by police, Apa has dyed his hair a darker red than Archie’s famous bright red locks.
While World kept its release date intact and finished its reshoots and editing within a month, Hate is still currently without a release date, giving the filmmakers and Apa time to undergo the reshoots and properly get him acclimated to the film’s cast and crew. Apa just arrived on set in Atlanta April 3, with filming set to resume the next day. Following the conclusion of shooting on the film, Apa will go on to film the upcoming comedy The Last Summer alongside Jacob Latimore (The Chi), after which he will return to shoot the third season of his hit TV series.
The Hate U Give will also star Amanda Stenberg (The Hunger Games), Regina Hall (Girls Trip), Anthony Mackie (Avengers: Infinity War), Common (John Wick: Chapter 2) and Issa Rae (Insecure).
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
