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Rise to Fame
He got Khal Drogo by performing a Haka in his audition. The casting directors cast him, HBO put him in Game of Thrones, and then killed the character at the end of season one. Drogo only appeared in the first season but the role made Momoa a household name regardless. The follow-through took years, but Aquaman (2018) confirmed what Game of Thrones started: he was the rare DC hero who could actually carry a blockbuster.
In the Spotlight
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom underperformed in 2023, and his time in the DC Extended Universe ended. The next chapter looks like deliberate control: Chief of War, a nine-episode Apple TV+ series he co-created and executive produces, stars him as a Hawaiian war chief in a story about unifying the islands. He also finalized a divorce from Lisa Bonet in July 2024, ending a relationship that started in 2005. The transition from franchise player to creative owner is the bet he's making.
Side Notes
He was born in Honolulu but grew up in Norwalk, Iowa after his parents split when he was a baby. A surf shop job in Honolulu got him noticed by a designer, which led to winning Hawaii Model of the Year at 19. The shark teeth tattooed on his left arm are designed to make sharks recognize him as one of their own. He rock climbs, surfs, plays guitar, and makes furniture. The Haka from his GoT audition has become its own cultural artifact, partly because it's genuinely alarming.