KJ Apa says car crash was a 'blessing in disguise'

K.J. Apa attends Entertainment Weekly's annual Comic-Con party. Photo / Getty

Riverdale star KJ Apa has opened up about his September car crash, when he fell asleep at the wheel following a 16-hour workday, sharing the lessons that he has learned from the 'mistake'.

KJ was making his usual 45-minute drive home from filming after midnight when he dozed off, totaling his car after slamming into a lightpole, while somehow walking away with only minor injuries according to DailyMail.

But while he is grateful to have come away mostly unharmed, it admits it was a real wake-up call for him.

KJ Apa arrives at the 2017 iHeartRADIO MuchMusic Video Awards. Photo / Getty

'That was just a one-off accident, and it was a mistake on my part,' the 20-year-old told Esquire. 'I should have pulled over and gone to sleep instead of battling my way home. But I learned from it.'

'It was a blessing in disguise. I came out unscathed, and I thank God that I'm okay - it could have been a lot worse,' he said.

But while KJ seems to feel OK about the incident, his crash sparked an outcry on the set of his hit show, Riverdale.

At the time, the Hollywood Reporter reported that cast and crew demanded changes after KJ's accident; filming has often gone into early hours and those working have to drive themselves to and from the set.

Cole Sprouse, who also stars on the show, reportedly asked the show to provide transportation in the future, while SAG-AFTRA also investigated the set, calling it an 'extremely troubling situation'.

According to KJ, however, nothing has changed - the hours have remained long, and he and the others are still require to drive themselves.

His outlook remains positive, though: 'It puts things in perspective for actors on other shows; when you're driving home, you've got to be mindful and make sure your mind's right and that you're not tired.

NZ actor KJ Apa poses for a picture during the Legends And Stars: Whitecaps FC Charity Alumni match at BC Place on September 16, 2017 in Vancouver, Canada. Photo / Getty

'I was really lucky the production was there for me and helped me the whole way, which made me feel looked after,' he said.

KJ also keeps busy when he's not working, working out frequently.

'I have to maintain a pretty tight physique, being shirtless pretty much every episode,' he said. 'I try to get to the gym every day. It takes a lot of stress out of stuff. It's a long season.'

He's hoping that bulking up may lead to more action roles in the future. He would really like to play a Marvel superhero - though he recognizes most of those parts 'are being taken' - he did get the shot to be Spider-Man on Halloween.

And on the Riverdale set, he gets to fight in some scenes - which led to a broken hand during the first season.

'Shooting that scene actually made me realize that I really, really love action,' he said. 'I think doing some more physical roles would really excite me.'