Month: December 2025

I’m just going to say it: Mr. Fantasy is the most entertaining thing to happen in celebrity culture for months, and KJ Apa deserves an award for his commitment to this bit.

If you haven’t been chronically online the last few months, you may have missed a rising star: Mr. Fantasy. On Aug. 19, Mr. Fantasy posted his first video to TikTok, and has since gained 1.1 million followers in just a few months.

Who is this Mr. Fantasy? While he has not revealed his true identity, fans are speculating that it is famous actor KJ Apa. As a chronically online person, I knew that Mr. Fantasy was Apa in disguise.

Before we get into why Apa is taking this Mr. Fantasy thing so seriously, I’m going to discuss all the clues I have put together that confirm Apa is Mr. Fantasy. 

The black bob on Mr. Fantasy isn’t hiding that chiseled jawline that Apa certainly has. From their facial hair to their height, everything is pointing back to Apa. The main thing that leads me to this decision is the matching tattoos.

The one thing that has me fooled is how Apa has perfectly straight teeth, and Mr. Fantasy has a slight gap between his two front teeth. My man is taking this Hannah Montana moment very seriously.

What makes Mr. Fantasy so special? It’s because it’s a breath of fresh air seeing a celebrity channel another side of themselves. Everything is so serious when it comes to being in the spotlight, but Apa took his fame as a chance to explore his creativity. 

Mr. Fantasy has released three singles since appearing out of thin air. “Catapult,” “Wayuwanna” and “Mr. Fantasy.” Apa released an album called “Clocks” in 2021, so it’s no surprise he has a desire for making music. 

Apa’s album didn’t blow up, but Mr. Fantasy’s music has already landed him in positions such as performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

The plot twist is that Mr. Fantasy’s music is genuinely good. I can tell that this wasn’t just a publicity stunt — he truly enjoys creating music and entertaining others. That passion is likely why he’ll be able to maintain this identity for a while. Fans are excited not just about the music, but the alter ego himself.

His music stands out because he fully commits to a persona that feels refreshing and distinct from other artists. He isn’t just following trends — he’s reviving sounds and styles we haven’t heard in decades. His work blends genres, mixing 1960s-influenced psychedelic rock with 1970s funk and 1980s disco, all layered with contemporary pop production.

Not only has he not broken character, but former costars are denying knowing who he is. The cast of “Riverdale,” the show Apa starred in from 2017 to 2023, has been asked in multiple interviews about Mr. Fantasy, and they typically laugh it off. 

Lili Reinhart, former co-star of Apa, left a comment on one of Mr. Fantasy’s videos. When Mr. Fantasy was asked about it in an interview, he said he didn’t know who she was. Entertainment Tonight later asked Reinhart about his response, and she joked that she was “not relevant enough” for him — but maybe one day.

That is the beauty of this persona. He is having so much fun with it. I love it when individuals channel another side of themselves that people don’t get to see. Personally, if you haven’t seen any of his interviews, you need to dive into them because you’ll fall in love with his character even more. 

My favorite interview is the one he did with The Edge NZ. He is so goofy in every single one of these interviews, and just plays the role so well. I see this as his opportunity to let that other side of him shine without fear of judgment from others.

No one else is putting on a captivating performance like Apa is. If anyone else came out and did this, it would look like they are doing it just because Mr. Fantasy is doing it. While Apa doesn’t own the idea of having an alter ego — we saw Hannah Montana do it — it just wouldn’t be as new or exciting. 

Mr. Fantasy didn’t come to play, and I’d highly recommend checking out his content. His success is a reminder to be yourself and to try new things, even when they feel intimidating.

Over one year ago, I wrote my review for “Wicked,” rating it a 2.5 out of five stars — and I WISH “Wicked: For Good” would’ve changed my mind; unfortunately, I’m still not a fan. 

“Wicked” follows the origin story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good from “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s a film about friendship with pieces of prejudice and social injustice. 

As someone who knew nothing about “Wicked” before the first film came out, I refused to wait an entire year to find out how the story ends. So yes, I definitely spoiled it for myself.

But, ultimately, this film was WAY too long, and it’s so overhyped that it didn’t live up to my expectations. 

What I liked 

Similar to what I originally wrote about, the sets, costumes and production are SO extravagant that it felt regal to me, and it truly was a grand movie experience that made me excited to see it on the big screen. Plus, Jonathan Bailey’s transformation from Fiyero to the Scarecrow was so realistic that it left me stunned — props to the makeup department.

I also wrote about how the whole animal prejudice/discrimination storyline took a back burner in the first film, and I wanted to see this topic unfold. “Wicked: For Good” did hone in on the fact that animals weren’t being treated like the souls they are. I’m very pleased to see that even though Dr. Dillamond lost his voice, he did survive the mistreatment of animals in Oz.

While I’m not an Ariana Grande fan, queen Cynthia Erivo was STUNNING with her vocals and her performance of Elphaba. She was convincing, and sitting in the audience, I could feel how emotionally invested she was in the project. Her passion transpired through the screen. 

What I didn’t like 

Ain’t no way in hell this movie had to be split into two separate films, and I stand firm on that. The original play is 2 hours and 45 minutes, and these two films run 4 hours and 58 minutes — what a joke. 

There were too many unnecessary scenes. They could’ve cut down on songs, especially since this film had two original songs for NO REASON.

And because this film alone was 2 hours and 17 minutes, the big, climactic moments felt like tiny drops in a giant lake — meaning they felt insignificant and rushed through. Scenes like when Elphaba “melts” or when she and Fiyero finally get to be together didn’t hit emotionally.

Also, they deliberately went out of their way to not show Dorothy’s face AT ALL. I understand this film isn’t about her, but come on. I bet that was an editing nightmare, and it felt completely unnecessary. 

I wasn’t familiar with “Wicked” at all before watching the first film last year, and I didn’t like the music then, and I sure as hell don’t like the music now. I’m even a musical gal, and these songs were unmemorable and only got in the way of the storylines. They made the film feel less intense and even funny in serious moments. 

Don’t even get me started on all this “Wicked” craze, because every corner I turn, I see a new collaboration. “Wicked: For Good” has brand deals with:

• Owala water bottles
• Abercrombie and Fitch
• SCS wine glasses
• Heydude shoes
• Lemonade Dolls lingerie 

Call me crazy, but “Wicked” lingerie is going too far. At this point, with all the collaborations, this feels like a money grab scheme instead of relying on the true merits of the film itself. 

The verdict 

Because there was no reason for two separate films and the overbearing “Wicked” craze, I’m rating “Wicked: For Good” two out of five stars. 

Erivo’s vocals alone can’t save this, and despite going in with a lot of hope, this movie didn’t change my mind that “Wicked” is just an average movie with an extravagant budget.