KJ Apa has done it all: He fought a bear, survived polyamory, and went to war all in the same series. There’s no better acting school than a CW teen drama. Now, he’s going to be channeling beloved American icon James Stewart in the upcoming biopic, Jimmy. “I have always been a huge James Stewart fan and feel so honored I get to bring his story to life,” Apa told Variety on August 5. “As someone from New Zealand, I’ve long admired that generation of American men who stood for patriotism, integrity, and a deep sense of duty. It is important to me to give back to a country that has given me so much, and what better way to do that than by honoring a man who served it with great honor.” While it might look like Apa is just a really really serious admirer of Alfred Hitchcock movies, he’s talking about different part of Stewart’s life that focuses on his six years of military service as a pilot during World War II, before It’s a Wonderful Life.

Director and co-writer Aaron Burns was surprised by how little people talked about Stewart’s pre–Wonderful Life career, even though he was an Oscar winner right before enlisting in the military. Burns explained, “We all know him from It’s A Wonderful Life, but as I discovered his real-life story as a World War II military hero, I realized Jimmy’s life makes for an amazing movie.” The actors portraying other important people in Stewart’s life include Jason Alexander as Louis B. Mayer, Max Casella as Frank Capra, Sarah Drew as Hedda Hopper, Julian Works as Second Lieutenant Martinez, and Jen Lilley as Gloria Hatrick McLean, his wife. Written by Burns and Justin Strawhand, production is scheduled to start in early September with plans to release the film in November 2026. Apa probably won’t need a lot of prepwork beforehand; he’s got plenty of experience with flashbacks and being a 1940s icon.

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