KJ What? plays one of the most iconic actors in American history, James “Jimmy” Stewart, and people can't stop talking about his voice portrayal.
December 17 teaser For Jimmy was released featuring Riverdale actor. The film will chronicle Jimmy's decision to enlist in the US Army Air Corps during World War II following his Oscar win in 1941. Philadelphia history.
The teaser went viral and people had a lot of thoughts about KJ's imitation of Jimmy's voice and the overall quality of the film. Jimmy's daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, is an executive producer and says the actor (full name Keneti James Fitzgerald Apa) is the right one to bring her father to life. “I felt magic,” she said. Diversity. “I know that will be conveyed in the film and I can’t wait to see it.”
Despite Jimmy's daughter's approval, many people have noted the similarity (or lack thereof) of KJ to Jimmy Stewart's voice:
“I think the problem with making a serious biopic about Jimmy Stewart with a serious impression of his voice is that Jimmy Stewart himself struggled with keeping his voice from sounding like a joke at times… and he was one of the greatest actors of his generation,” one person wrote.
“Jimmy Stewart had the quintessential Midwestern Pennsylvanian. dialect but Apa falls into the trap of focusing on voice and diction rather than performance, which is why this line seems so exaggerated and fake,” another person wrote.
This person said, “I just don’t have the ability to process KJ Apa’s Jimmy Stewart voice until at least the first quarter of 2026.”
Another person wrote: “Sorry, we don't have time to do this right now.”
“It's impossible to do Jimmy Stewart's voice without making it feel like you're doing something,” another person added.
“Rob Riggle's Jimmy Stewart impression doesn't have the intended effect I feel,” someone else wrote.
Others had a lot to say about the overall look of the teaser, comparing it to Saturday Night Live sketches or 30 Rock sketchy jokes.
“The trailer for the Jimmy Stewart biopic gives off the nuclear vibe of a fake Tropic Thunder trailer,” wrote user X.
One person suggested that the teaser looks like a “30 Rock joke movie.”
And finally, this person said, “I think this is the least real movie anyone has ever seen.”
What do you think about KJ's voice and the new one? Jimmy biopic? Share your thoughts in the comments.
