‘Most important thing I’ll do in my career’: Actor Jason Momoa on his historical epic Chief Of War

LOS ANGELES – Fans know him as the titular shirtless superhero from the Aquaman films (2018 to 2023), a brooding nomadic warlord on hit fantasy show Game Of Thrones (2011 to 2019) or an adonis in lifeguard trunks on drama series Baywatch: Hawaii (1991 to 2001).

But Jason Momoa has moved into a new phase of his career with the epic historical drama Chief Of War, a passion project that he co-wrote, co-produced and stars in.

An exhaustively researched depiction of Hawaiian history and culture that was filmed in Hawaii and New Zealand, it is the most important thing he will ever do professionally, the American actor believes.

Now streaming on Apple TV+, the nine episodes are based on real events, telling the story of Hawaii’s unification and colonisation at the turn of the 19th century through the eyes of Ka’iana (Momoa), a warrior chief who played a pivotal role.

In a Zoom call from Hawaii, Momoa – who is native Hawaiian on his father’s side and German and Irish on his mother’s – tells The Straits Times and other media he “welcomed the intense responsibility” of creating Chief Of War from the ground up.

“It’s the most important thing I’ll do in my career, not only for my people, but in the sense that we’re involved in every aspect of this,” says the 45-year-old.

The show’s co-creator Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett has native Hawaiian heritage as well. And leading the mostly Polynesian cast are three actors from New Zealand: Luciane Buchanan, known for the action series The Night Agent (2023 to present); Temuera Morrison, who played Momoa’s father in the Aquaman films; and Cliff Curtis, who starred in the drama Whale Rider (2002).

Momoa relished the challenge of wearing many hats on this project, especially when it came to directing the ambitious final episode, which features a complex battle scene.

“I love being behind the camera more than in front of it,” says the star, who played the warrior Duncan Idaho in the science-fiction blockbuster Dune (2021).

“Directing the finale episode, I felt at home. I really thrive in chaos – I love it when it’s at its highest.

“When things are lagging and I’ve got to wait in a trailer to act, I go insane. I need to be doing 10 things at once – it’s the way I operate,” admits Momoa, who also headlined the fantasy comedy A Minecraft Movie (2025).

With this project, he hopes to redress the often two-dimensional, exoticised portrayals of Hawaii.

“Hollywood’s portrayal of Hawaii has always been that postcard view, but that image is a bit different from what I know,” says Momoa, who was born in Honolulu, raised in Iowa and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

“It’s a bit of false advertising. It’s ‘come visit, it looks like this’, and there’s moments of this being manicured.”

But Momoa is determined to change that with his production company Pride of Gypsies, which worked on Chief Of War.

“There’s a depth and a beauty here that hasn’t been seen, and I’m excited to put it into both modern movies and historical ones.”

And Momoa’s rise to stardom, he hints, has been partly in service of that goal.

“It took us a long time to have the clout to pull off something of this magnitude and be able to tell this story,” he adds. “And I hope people like it so we can continue to tell these stories.”

And Momoa’s enthusiasm for this is boundless, according to the show’s cast and crew.

Says American showrunner and executive producer Doug Jung: “I’ve never seen anybody that energetic and who pushes himself that hard. You’ve got to keep up with him.”

But does that energy ever flag? “I definitely find myself getting out of sorts,” Momoa says. “But there’s just gratitude and, hopefully, that pulls me out of it.”

“Or if I’m in a weird space and I can’t get out of it, my children are a beautiful thing,” says the star, who has an 18-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son with former wife Lisa Bonet, a 57-year-old actress.

“And calling your loved ones,” adds Momoa, who has been dating Puerto Rico-born American actress Adria Arjona, 33, since 2024. “It helps you stay grounded and get back on course.”