For those who attended the 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and also happen to be avid online browsers, you might have caught a glimpse of a familiar face—or rather, a familiar persona—on one of the floats. Mr. Fantasy went viral earlier this year not only for his eccentric personality and quirky style but also because fans were convinced he was none other than KJ Apa, the actor from Riverdale, and his alter ego. And their theories were not entirely off-base, as Apa and Mr. Fantasy share the exact same tattoos.
Despite the mounting evidence, Mr. Fantasy has yet to publicly confirm that it's indeed Apa under his unforgettable black bob. Even when The Hollywood Reporter chatted with him in September, he remained tight-lipped. But since uploading his first video on TikTok in August, he has amassed over a million followers on the social media platform.
The artist has been on a roll with dropping new music, including his debut song "Mr. Fantasy" and his track "Wayuwanna." And on Friday, he's releasing another new song called "Catapult." During his interview with THR, Mr. Fantasy teased that he was interested in doing live performances in the future. And that dream finally came true on Thursday during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. As he sang his self-titled song aboard a pirate-themed float, he delivered a Mr. Fantasy-style performance that saw him climbing up the pirate ship at one point.
As Mr. Fantasy continues to make a name for himself outside of Apa's shadow, he previously told THR that he's not bothered by people comparing him to the actor on social media. "Not bothered by it," he said at the time. "Things can be hurtful, sure, but I focus on the positive. I focus on the people whom I love and who love me and that have a positive influence on my life, like James Franco."
While fans already know Apa as an established actor, having starred in Riverdale, One Fast Move, and The Map That Leads to You, THR also asked Mr. Fantasy if he had any other creative aspirations in addition to music. "I mean, I think I am a good actor," he responded. "If I was given the right opportunity, I would be quite good. I think I'm honest enough to be an actor. Often the best performers, like James Franco, seem to have honesty that exudes off the screen, and so yeah, of course I'd be very interested."
