KJ Apa opens up about his struggles dealing with fame

The Kiwi 'Riverdale' star - who plays Archie Andrews in the CW drama - has opened up about the negative aspects of starring in a popular TV show and the weird" experience of having strangers "touch" him in the street.

Speaking to ASOS Magazine, he said: "The weird thing is that it used to be people calling me by my character's name -- now people come up to me in the street and know my name. Some people touch you and I had a hard time with people feeling like they can have that intimacy with me. Experiencing what it's like to be on a huge TV show has given me perspective on people. The attention is strange and not comfortable. You put yourself in their shoes and think, 'If I saw someone like that, what would I do?'"

The 21-year-old hunk - who has starred in the movies 'A Dog's Purpose' and 'The Hate U Give' - has admitted that he has become "self-conscious" since working on screen and finds it "pressuring" having to adapt his style to his alter ego.

He said: "As soon as I started being on camera so much, I became self-conscious, which I never was [before]. "Now I look in the mirror and feel unhappy with...whatever. The fact I have to look a certain way for the show, that can be pressuring.

"There are positives to that too. I've found my own style when it comes to fashion. I love monochromatic colours, being in one colour."

KJ Apa attends the The Hate U Give premiere during 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. Photo / Getty

KJ - who has previously been romantically linked to his 'Riverdale' co-star Camila Mendes - says that he is no rush to settle down, but admitted that many people his age often feel the pressure to be in a relationship.

He explained: "It's easy to put pressure on yourself. Recently, it's been realising, 'What do I want as a 21-year-old in life?' It's super-important to write down what you want your life to look like in five years.

"In terms of relationships, battling between staying with the love of your life or being a 21-year-old and not living with regret when you're older.

"I look at my parents' marriage and I think, 'Don't you wish that you'd waited a bit?'"

This article was originally published by bangSHOWBIZ! and is reproduced here with permission