Born and raised in Hawaii, the former model and marine biology student is one of Hollywood’s hottest actors. His charisma and commanding presence set him apart from the rest

Jason Momoa, the Hawaiian actor who is one of Hoolywood’s last big stars (AP)

Jason Momoa was first a model and then an actor. He made his Hollywood debut for the series “Baywatch”, but it wasn’t until his participation in “Game of Thrones” that he achieved international fame, with his character Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki. However, his character died before the series became a global success. After that period it was difficult for him to get a job and he suffered serious financial problems with his wife, the actress Lisa Bonet, and their two children. Luckily for the Hawaiian actor – who has his island tattooed on his skin – his situation improved in 2016 when he was chosen to play the superhero Aquaman.

The former marine biology student and staunch environmental activist managed to become one of the biggest stars in the world in less than a decade. It’s instantly recognizable by its commanding screen presence. In addition, her charming personality has won her a following all over the planet.

In addition to “Game of Thrones” and the DC Universe, Momoa has landed roles in some of the biggest movies and franchises. Appearing in “Stargate: Atlantis,” he’s part of the star-studded cast of director Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” and “See,” the Apple TV+ series filming its second season. Although his name is already known to most movie lovers, Momoa is still relatively new to the entertainment industry.

A platonic love that came true

At the age of eight, Jason Momoa had told his mother that he would marry Lisa Bonet. And the truth is that his dream came true. They have been together since 2005 and are parents to two children

Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2017, the actor, who is 12 years younger than Lisa Bonet, told host James Corden that he fell head over heels in love with his current wife, who starred on “The Cosby Show,” when he was just a child. Back then, Momoa told his mother that he would marry her one day. Nearly two decades later, he fulfilled his dream.

In 2005, more than 10 years after separating from Lenny Kravitz, Lisa Bonet met a man in a jazz club in New York who had been in love with her all his life, without knowing her. “I turned around and saw her and she said, ‘I’m Lisa.’ I turned to my friend and pretended to scream. There were damn fireworks inside me,” the actor said of that first and long-awaited meeting. Fortunately for the actor, Bonet did end up falling in love with him, although she did not reveal her platonic love for years. “I didn’t tell him I was a bully until after I had the kids, otherwise I would have looked like a weird guy,” he joked.

However, some media outlets have speculated that when he met Bonet, Momoa was still in a relationship with his girlfriend and “Baywatch” co-star, Simmone Jade Mackinnon. It was even said that they were engaged to be married, however, the love between Momoa and Bonet was stronger.

In 2007 they became parents to their first daughter, whom they named Lola Lolani, and a year later their son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha was born, both raised under Hawaiian culture. Zoe Kravitz, Bonet’s daughter with Lenny Kravitz, named her band after her half-siblings, christening the group “Lolawolf”.

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet confirmed their love after 12 years of relationship in a secret wedding in 2017. “I can’t say it was love at first sight from the moment we met, but we’ve been together since that day,” Bonet told a French magazine when asked about her relationship with the actor.

Jason Momoa and Lenny Kravitz

Momoa maintains a close friendship with Lenny Kravitz, his wife’s ex-husband. “Our families are blessed. I love her husband – he’s like a brother to me. And I love children. It’s beautiful, but it takes work,” the singer confessed. They both share a skull ring that symbolizes their bonding and care for each other; It was a gift from the Hawaiian actor.

A one-of-a-kind audition to be part of “Game of Thrones”

Jason Momoa is the son of a Hawaiian photographer and painter

Although Jason Momoa began his career in film and television when he was just a teenager, it wasn’t until 2011 that he gained the attention of audiences and Hollywood. That’s when he burst onto the scene as Khal Drogo on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” Up until that point, Momoa was best known for playing “cute boy” characters like in the series “Baywatch: Hawaii,” so he knew he’d have to do something impressive to get the role.

In an interview with The New York Times, Momoa explained that Drogo was a difficult character to play and knew that he would have to demonstrate his powerful energy to get attention and stand out from the rest. When he entered his audition, he decided to start with a haka – the Maori war dance made famous by All Blacks rugby players – to prove he had the ability to be as physically intimidating as he needed the role to be. Her powerful entrance dazzled casting directors and landed her the role that changed her life.

Three years out of work and a lot of debt

Jason Momoa debuted in the industry with the series “Baywatch” in 1999, but it wasn’t until his participation in “Game of Thrones” that he achieved international fame, with his character Khal Drogo (AP)

During a recent eye-opening interview with In Style magazine, Momoa opened up about a tough time he and his family went through after his participation in the critically acclaimed “Game of Thrones,” which came to an end in 2019 after eight seasons.

Momoa recalled how difficult it was for him and his wife Lisa Bonet to face reality when their character in the popular HBO series suddenly didn’t appear on the small screen anymore. When Khal Drogo was killed in “Game of Thrones,” the Hawaiian actor struggled to pay the bills for his home in Topanga Canyon, located in Los Angeles County, which he shares with his wife and two children: Nakoa-Wolf, 11, and Lola Iolani, 13.

“I mean, we were starving after ‘Game of Thrones,'” the performer said without a hint of embarrassment in his words. “I couldn’t get a job. It’s very challenging when you have babies and you’re completely in debt.”

Fortunately in 2016 things improved with his entry into the DC Extended Universe, starting in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, and later as part of the cast in “Justice League” (2017) and as the lead in “Aquaman” (2018), this last film was a resounding success at the box office and made him one of the most profitable stars in Hollywood.

Jason Momoa en sus inicios

El presente es prometedor para el actor. Ahora tiene su agenda completamente tomada hasta 2024, con proyectos como “See”, la serie Apple TV + que filma su segunda temporada, y “Dune”, del director Denis Villeneuve.

This is not the first time he has referred to the negative consequences of having participated in the phenomenon of successful fiction based on the books of George R.R. Martin. In an interview a few months ago for Entertainment Weekly, the performer explained how, after having played Khal Drogo, the audience thought that he was not able to read English dialogue and that he could only give life to strong and silent warriors. “For a while after the show, a lot of people pigeonholed me. And it hurt a lot. They thought I didn’t speak English,” recalled Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa: “They didn’t understand that I was playing a character.”

Momoa was working at a surf shop when he was discovered. In 1998, auditions for “Baywatch: Hawaii” were held. He was 19 years old and when he found out that the production was doing a casting, he did not hesitate to present himself with his cousins. “We just wanted to meet girls,” the performer recalled, and when he was offered one of the lead roles he abandoned his plan to study marine biology to become an actor. He moved to Los Angeles, but he didn’t do very well in those early years either.” I couldn’t get an agent for three or four years,” he said.

“Aquaman” Wears Pink

His scar on his eyebrow was caused by a fight at a Los Angeles bar that left him with 140 stitches after a glass was broken in his face

Momoa started out as a model because of his great physical attractiveness and in auditions he was called the “pretty” guy. However, when he jumped onto the screen in “Conan the Barbarian” and “Game of Thrones,” he’s seen as much more of a rough-and-tumble type of actor. Part of this could be in the wake of a violent event in 2008 that gave Momoa the prominent scar on his eyebrow. She was in a bar in Los Angeles and a man smashed a glass in her face. He received more than 140 stitches and had to undergo several surgeries to repair the damage to his face. Talking about the jagged line running through his eyebrow, Momoa said, “I had my wife beforehand, so… If you don’t like it, too bad. She likes it.”

Away from the movies, the Hawaiian star is known for her versatility when it comes to dressing. He has a unique style and an interest in a particular color. “Pink is just a beautiful color,” she told InStyle magazine. “And I’m pretty sure of my masculinity. I don’t really give a shit what other people think.”

Momoa, 41 years old, and almost six feet tall, with big muscles and a strong voice, hardly anyone would question his masculinity. The man, who is surrounded by women with character like his wife and mother, sees no difference between the sexes. “We all have the feminine and masculine side in us, and we need to embrace both.”

The mistreatment he received on the set of “Justice League”

Jason Momoa and Ben Affleck (Reuters)

In September of this year, Momoa publicly supported his colleague Ray Fisher, who on several occasions spoke about the mistreatment he received on the set of “Justice League.” Through a message on social media, Momoa claimed that serious abuses were committed on the set when Zack Snyder was removed from the project and Joss Whedon was hired.

The performer who brings “Aquaman” to life in the DC Cinematic Universe films on the big screen came to the defense of the actor, who played “Cyborg” in the 2017 film, confirming that the filming of “Justice League” was truly abusive and unprofessional. And he directly accused director Joss Whedon and executive producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg.

In fact, Momoa was the first and only member of the stellar cast who dared to support his partner publicly, and he did so with a hashtag #IStandWithRayFisher, highlighting that the version given by his colleague was more than true.

In addition, he commented on his first-hand experience on the matter. “This shit needs to stop and should focus on helping Ray Fisher and everyone who experienced abuse on set under the umbrella of Warner Bros.,” he wrote in the text he shared on his Instagram account. “Serious things happened. It must be investigated and the people involved must be held accountable,” he said.

Director and environmental activist

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet at the latest Oscars (AFP)

The actor also works behind the camera, having started his own production company in 2010 (a year before the debut of “Game of Thrones”) called Pride of Gypsies. They have filmed three feature films: “Road to Paloma” (2014), “Braven” (2018) and “Sweet Girl” which arrives next year. 2021. Although Momoa is the name behind the production company, the only feature film he has directed so far is “Road to Paloma”. However, he has plans to direct and star in a passion project called Ko’olau the Defiant One, about the Hawaiian folk hero.

Momoa has been fighting for ocean cleanup and recycling for years. Last April, he shaved his beard to raise awareness that plastic is killing our planet and that aluminum is a greener option. What’s more, Chris Pratt drew Momoa’s ire for posing with a plastic water bottle as part of a production in which he announced his collaboration with Amazon. Momoa, a staunch environmental activist, did not hesitate to call attention to a public message. “Brother, I love you but not with the water bottle. No single-use plastics. Let’s go,” the Hawaiian actor wrote in a comment on Pratt’s post. In response, his colleague – far from getting angry at his partner – replied: “Aquaman! You’re absolutely right.”

Momoa also had the opportunity to speak at the United Nations representing Hawaii and other islands that are suffering from climate change. And he launched a clothing brand whose proceeds go to an organization about caring for the environment.