Luke Perry: ‘Riverdale’ Co-Star KJ Apa Shares Heartwarming Photo of Actor

Riverdale star KJ Apa shared a sun-drenched photo of his on-screen father Luke Perry in a tribute to the Beverly Hills, 90210 actor, who died Monday.

“Rest in love bro,” the New Zealand-born actor wrote in the caption, alongside a photo of Perry on a lake with a smile on his face.

Apa posted to Instagram for the first time since Perry’s death on Thursday. Before sharing the new photo, he posted a screenshot to his Instagram Story, revealing he was listening to Third Eye Blind’s “The Background,” a song about the death of a loved one.

“Everything is quiet, since you’re not around. And I live in the numbness now. In the background,” reads the song’s first verse.

Perry died on Monday, after suffering a massive stroke last week, at the age of 52. The actor is survived by ex-wife Minnie Sharp, his children Jack and Sophie, his fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer, his mother Ann Bennett, his step-father Steve Bennett and siblings Tom Perry and Amy Coder.

“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time,” his publicist said in a statement Monday.

Since his death, the Riverdale family has shown an outpouring of support. Perry starred on the series as Fred Andrews, the father of Apa’s Archie Andrews, on the Archie Comics-inspired series.

On Wednesday, Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa shared a photo of the cast with Perry at the center. Wednesday’s episode included an “in memoriam” card for Perry, and the rest of the season will be dedicated to him, the executive producer wrote.

“Going through pictures on my way to set. From the early days. With Luke in the middle. Our heart, always. Tonight’s episode of Riverdale finds Fred doing what he does best—helping Archie. It is dedicated to Luke, as all episodes will be for the rest of our run,” Aguirre-Sacasa wrote.

Perry was considered a father figure and mentor among the show’s young cast, particularly for Apa. The father-son bond the actors built shined off-set, particularly in an October Today Show appearance where Perry imitated Apa’s New Zealand accent.

“We’re lucky to have someone like Luke on the show,” Apa said during the interview.

“He’s the biggest legend, and obviously he went through the whole thing on a way bigger scale than even Riverdale, you know Beverly Hills 90210 was massive, so I think he is the best guy to talk to, and I’m really close with him,” Apa told Suff.co.nz in 2017.

New episodes of Riverdale air on The CW Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Photo credit: Getty Images