For those who watched the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and are also chronically online, you might have spotted a familiar face, sort of, on one of the floats.
Mr. Fantasy went viral earlier this year for not only his eccentric personality and quirky style, but also because fans are convinced he’s Riverdale actor KJ Apa‘s alter ego. And their theories don’t seem to be too far off, as Apa and Mr. Fantasy do have the exact same tattoos.
Mr. Fantasy has yet to publicly confirm it’s actually Apa under his unforgettable black bob, including when The Hollywood Reporter chatted with him in September. But since uploading his first video on TikTok in August, he’s amassed one million followers on the social media platform.
The artist has also been on a roll with dropping new music, including his first song, “Mr. Fantasy,” and then with his track “Wayuwanna.” He’s also releasing another new song, “Catapult,” on Friday.
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 Thursday during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. While aboard a pirate-themed float, he sang his self-titled song, delivering 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 Apa’s shadow, he previously told THR that he’s also not bothered by people comparing him to the actor on social media.
“Not bothered by it, not bothered by it,” Mr. Fantasy said at the time. “Things bother me sometimes, but I keep my eyes upward, and I keep trudging the happy road of happy destiny. You know, 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, as he’s starred on 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, they seem to have honesty. It exudes off of the screen, and so yeah, of course I’d be very interested, you know.”