KJ Apa opens up about the late Luke Perry: 'We had a really close relationship'

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Actor Luke Perry passes away after suffering massive stroke

Actor Luke Perry, who starred in 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Riverdale' has died at the age of 52 after suffering a massive stroke.

KJ Apa is still searching for the right words to describe the impact the late Luke Perry had on his life.

The young "Riverdale" actor played Perry's son (Archie) in the CW series and is finally opening up about the 52-year-old's tragic death.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Friday, Apa said, "It's not every day you come across a guy like Luke."

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“Luke is the kind of person who did everything he can to make whoever you are, no matter how big or small you are, feel comfortable and feel welcome. It’s hard to kind of put into words how that makes me feel," he added.

"We had a really close relationship," the 21-year-old revealed. "He would call my parents every week and keep them updated on how I’m doing. He and my dad were always texting each other.”

Apa said he hopes to be "like that" one day, to which Fallon said, "You can be like that. You are like that.”

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Perry died on March 4 after suffering a massive stroke on February 27 at his home in Los Angeles.

When the news first broke, Apa paid tribute to Perry with a photo of him smiling on a boat on social media. “Rest in love bro," he wrote.

Later on, Fallon held up the shot on the talk show. “That’s my favorite photo of Luke,” Apa said. “I just think he’s in complete and utter peace in that photo. He’s living the dream.”

This past Wednesday was Perry's final episode on "Riverdale," and it's not certain how his character, Fred, will be written off the show. The series' showrunner, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, admitted that the cast is still coming to terms with Perry's death.

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“You know, honestly, we are I think all still in shock and are all still processing and grieving,” he said to "Entertainment Tonight." “We know that we have to address it in some way, but we’re giving ourselves a little bit of time and space before we figure out the best way to honor him.”