'Riverdale' 's KJ Apa Remembers Luke Perry: 'I Hope I Can Be Half the Man That He Was'

"He's one of the best people I've ever known in my life," Riverdale star KJ Apa said, of his late costar Luke Perry

KJ Apa is still carrying Luke Perry‘s memory with him, a year after the actor’s tragic death.

During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The View, the 22-year-old actor shared his memories of the Perry, who played his dad on the dark CW series Riverdale.

“I remember everything about Luke,” Apa told View hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and guest co-host Deborah Roberts. “I miss him. I miss talking to him.”

“He really, he was so important to me, just because, I feel like, he always had my best interests,” Apa continued. “I just miss chatting to him. I miss listening to him, you know?”

Perry was hospitalized after suffering a massive stroke on Feb. 27, 2019. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star remained “under observation” for five days but died on March 4 at age 52.

Added Apa: “He’s one of the best people I’ve ever known in my life. I hope I can be half the man that he was.”

Luke Perry and KJ Apa on Riverdale. Dean Buscher /The CW

Apa has been vocal about his bond with Perry in the past.

“It’s not every day you come across a guy like Luke,” he said on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in April. “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.”

The New Zealand native went on to say Perry treated him like a son while on set, making sure he always felt safe, comfortable and loved.

“He would call my parents every week and keep them updated on how I’m doing,” Apa said. “If I had a cold or something he’d be like, ‘I got him, I brought some Gatorade to his apartment the other day.’ “

“He made such a huge effort from the very beginning,” he added. “I wish I could be like that.”

Just last month, Riverdale actress Lili Reinhart, told her Twitter followers that she felt the late actor was still with her in spirit after waking up from a dream about him.

“I had a dream last night that I saw Luke… and I hugged him so hard and cried into his shoulder, telling him how much we all miss him,” she tweeted at the time. “Looking back on it this morning, I think his spirit was visiting me in my sleep, letting me know he’s smiling brightly on the other side ✨.”

Riverdale airs Wednesdays (8 p.m. ET) on The CW.