KJ Apa Confirms He’s Dating Renee Wilkins, Calls Her His ‘Bestie’

KJ Apa has officially gone public with his love life — and he did it in the most KJ Apa way possible. No cryptic Instagram post. No soft launch. Just a casual chat at a movie screening, where the 29-year-old Riverdale alum confirmed he’s dating model Renee Wilkins and summed up the whole relationship in two words: she’s his bestie.

That’s it. That’s the announcement. And honestly? It’s kind of perfect for him.

Apa confirmed the news this week while promoting his new movie Jimmy at a screening in Texas, telling E! News that things with Wilkins are going “great.” Then he dropped the line that has already sent fans into a tailspin: “She’s my bestie.”

For a guy who spent seven seasons playing Archie Andrews — a character whose love life was basically a contact sport — Apa has always kept his own romantic life pretty low-key. So the fact that he’s out here calling someone his bestie, on the record, at a press event? That tells you plenty.

The Confirmation Came at a Screening for Jimmy

The timing isn’t a coincidence. Apa is in the middle of a big week. His new film Jimmy, in which he plays Hollywood legend James Stewart, opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, November 6 — today, as it happens. The Texas screening where he confirmed the relationship was part of the press push for the movie, which makes the whole thing feel very on-brand: he’s out there talking about one of the biggest roles of his career, and he ends up making headlines about his girlfriend instead.

That’s show business. You plan a press tour about a World War II biopic and the internet wants to know about your bestie.

But Apa didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. If anything, he sounded relaxed — the kind of relaxed you only get when you’re genuinely happy and not trying to hide anything anymore. There’s a difference between a celebrity who gets caught and a celebrity who just decides it’s time. Apa sounded like the second one.

Their Red Carpet Debut Came Last Month

Here’s the thing: the confirmation isn’t exactly a shock to anyone who’s been paying attention. Apa and Wilkins already walked a red carpet together. The pair made their public debut as a couple at the Newport Beach Film Festival Honors back on October 18, where Apa was being honored as one of Variety‘s 10 Actors to Watch.

That’s not a low-profile date night, by the way. That’s a “we’re doing this for real” kind of event. You don’t bring someone to your industry honors night unless they matter. And Wilkins was right there beside him, posing for photos like she’d been doing it forever.

After the Newport Beach event, Apa shared a photo of the two of them on his own page — another quiet little signal that this wasn’t something he was trying to keep under wraps. The confirmation this week just made it official.

Who Is Renee Wilkins?

So who is the woman Apa keeps calling his bestie? Wilkins is a New Zealand-born model who now calls Los Angeles home. Yes, New Zealand — same as Apa, who was born in Auckland. There’s something sweet about that. Two Kiwis finding each other on the other side of the world, in a city that chews people up and spits them out on a daily basis.

She has more than 40,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts under the handle @ReneeFromTechSupport — a username that raises more questions than it answers, and honestly, we respect it. Based on Apa’s comments on her posts, his pet name for her appears to be “beast.” Which, okay. That’s not the nickname anyone would have guessed. But it’s theirs, and it’s weirdly charming in its own way.

She’s not a Hollywood fixture. She’s not somebody who showed up on the scene with a publicist and a plan. And that seems to suit Apa just fine. The man spent his twenties as one of the most recognizable faces on teen television. There’s something to be said for dating someone who lives a little outside that bubble.

The “Why Not?” Moment

The best part of the whole interview, though, might be what happened when E! News asked Apa how he knew Wilkins was “the one.” His answer? Two words: “Why not?”

That’s it. No grand speech about fate or destiny. No carefully rehearsed answer about knowing from the first moment. Just “Why not?” — delivered, presumably, with the same easy shrug he’d give if you asked him why he ordered the burger.

And you know what? There’s something refreshingly honest about that. After years of celebrities giving us polished, PR-approved answers about their relationships — the love of my life, my soulmate, I knew the second I saw her — Apa’s shrug feels real. Sometimes you meet someone, it clicks, and the only honest answer to “how did you know?” is “why not?” What else is there to say?

Asked about what’s next for the couple, Apa got a little more philosophical. “I’m all about manifesting,” he said. “I think we manifest everything for ourselves, the positive and the negative. So, you’ve got to be careful about what you spend your time thinking about.”

Manifesting. Of course. The man plays a Hollywood icon in a movie about faith and hope, and he’s out here manifesting his relationship. Sure. Why not. It’s working so far.

A Big Week for KJ Apa

It would be a shame to let the relationship news completely overshadow what Apa is actually out promoting, because Jimmy is a genuine swing for him. The film, directed by Aaron Burns from a script by Justin Strawhand, follows James Stewart from his Academy Award win for The Philadelphia Story in 1941 through his decision to enlist and serve as a combat pilot in World War II, and finally to his return home and his career-defining turn as George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.

It’s a long way from Riverdale. Stewart was one of the most beloved movie stars who ever lived, and playing him is the kind of role that can change how people see an actor. The cast around Apa is stacked, too — Jason Alexander as MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, Max Casella as director Frank Capra, Sarah Drew as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, and Neal McDonough as Stewart’s father.

The movie premiered at the Heartland International Film Festival in October, and Apa picked up the Spotlight Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival — the same event where he and Wilkins made their red carpet debut. Funny how the personal and the professional keep colliding this month.

Early reviews have singled out Apa’s performance, particularly his ability to channel Stewart’s voice and mannerisms without turning it into a caricature. That’s a hard trick to pull off. Stewart’s drawl is one of the most imitated voices in movie history, and most imitations are terrible. Apa apparently found the line between impression and performance.

Life After Riverdale

For Apa, Jimmy is another step in the post-Riverdale chapter of his career. He spent seven seasons as Archie Andrews on The CW’s bonkers, beloved teen drama, from 2017 to 2023. That’s a long time to play one character, especially when you start the job at 19 and finish it at 26. A lot of actors who come out of a run like that either lean into it forever or spend years trying to escape it.

Apa seems to be doing something smarter. He’s been picking roles that have nothing to do with Archie Andrews. He played a Christian singer in I Still Believe in 2020, a street racer in One Fast Move in 2024, and now he’s playing Jimmy Stewart. None of those roles look anything alike, and that’s the point. He’s building a filmography that doesn’t need a Riverdale footnote to make sense.

He’s also a musician in his own right, which is one of those facts that people keep forgetting about him until he drops a track. He’s been releasing music on and off for years, and there’s always been a sense that acting was only ever part of the plan.

His personal life has shifted too. He shares a young son with his former partner, French model Clara Berry, and becoming a father changed him in ways he’s talked about openly in the past. Now, a few years on, he’s stepping out with someone new — and he’s doing it on his own terms, with a smile and a “she’s my bestie.”

What Happens Now

So what happens now? Probably nothing dramatic. That’s the beauty of a confirmation like this one. There’s no mystery left to solve, no secret to chase. Apa told us. She’s his bestie. Things are great. He’s manifesting. End of story — for now, at least.

Of course, that won’t stop anyone from watching. Every red carpet, every Instagram comment, every public outing is going to get a second look now that the relationship is out in the open. That’s the deal when you confirm something like this. But Apa knew that when he said it. He said it anyway. That’s the whole point.

For now, he’s got a movie opening today, a new relationship he’s clearly proud of, and a career that’s moving in interesting directions. Not a bad week, all things considered. And if his philosophy about manifesting holds up, there’s probably more good stuff on the way. He’s thinking about it, after all. Carefully.

Source: Just Jared