Jimmy Stewart’s Daughter Speaks Out on KJ Apa Biopic: ‘Our Family Is Thrilled’ About ‘Jimmy’
The beloved Hollywood legend's inspiring life story comes to the big screen in an all-new biopic
Jimmy Stewart fans, we have some exciting news! After months of waiting, we finally have our first look at the biopic centered around the iconic actor. It’s called Jimmy, will star KJ Apa (best known for his work as Archie Andrews in The CW’s Riverdale) and is expected to be released in the fall of next year. Below, we share all the details on the highly anticipated film, including how the Stewart family responded to the biopic.
What we know so far about the Jimmy Stewart biopic
Jimmy is expected to follow Stewart (played by Apa) throughout his time as a combat pilot and commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II after working on 1940’s The Philadelphia Story alongside Katharine Hepburn. In total, it’s believed that Stewart flew over 20 missions and, upon his return to Hollywood, was quite down until landing the role as George Bailey in the 1946 classic It’s a Wonderful Life. All of that will be featured in the film.
“Jimmy Stewart was an American hero,” Apa said in a statement to Variety. “He was among a certain breed of men who understood the true meaning of sacrifice by fighting for our freedom. He was also among the greatest actors of all time, starring in over 80 movies and winning one Academy Award for best actor. His story is one of strength and purpose, love and honor, fame and war. His story is one that begs us to think of the greater good and to be willing to fight for it.”
Along with Apa, the film is expected to star Kara Killmer, Neal McDonough, Max Casella, Jason Alexander, Christopher McDonald, Sarah Drew, Rob Riggle and Julian Works. Jen Lilley, who is best known for her work on Days of Our Lives and the Hallmark Channel, is also expected to appear in the movie as Gloria Stewart, the late actor’s beloved wife.
“Somehow I was already on the producer’s shortlist of people that they thought would suit Gloria Stewart,” Lilley told Remind Magazine earlier this year. “My friend, Billy Hallowell, who I do a podcast, Into the Supernatural, with, was talking to this woman, Angela [Galgani Sullivan], who’s a producer, and he said, ‘Have you thought of Jen Lilley? Do you know who Jen Lilley is?’ And she was like, ‘Oh, she’s the top of my list. I just don’t think she would do it.’ He said, ‘Well, I think she might. You should just send her the script.’”
“[Once I read it] I laughed, I cried— this movie gives you all the feels. It’s wild because I watched It’s a Wonderful Life after I had been cast and was trying to do a deep study on who James Stewart really was. And he really was George Bailey. Everything that George Bailey experiences in that movie very much paralleled James Stewart’s life, and yet his life had a very happy, redemptive ending,” she continued. “It really focuses on his solid, at-the-core Americana, and this is a movie that I think will unite; you can feel the patriotism no matter what side of the aisle you’re on.”
How does Jimmy Stewart’s family feel about the biopic?
According to Stewart’s daughter Kelly, who also served as an executive producer for the film, “Our family is thrilled that Aaron [Burns, the director] and his team approached us about bringing Dad’s story to life on the big screen.”
Burns added to that, saying in the same interview with Deadline, “I am so honored Kelly and her family are trusting us with their father’s legacy.”
“We are excited to take moviegoers on a journey to discover the real Jimmy, and how his father’s prayers and his collaboration with Frank Capra guided him through his darkest hours. Jimmy came to truly embody the characters he played, as husband, father and citizen,” he concluded.
‘Jimmy’ movie release date
Jimmy will release in theaters on November 6, 2026, which Lilley says is perfect because “It is one of those movies that’s going to get people in the mood for the holidays, even though it’s not explicitly a holiday movie.”
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