Jason Momoa
American actor Jason Momoa is best known for his portrayals of the Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo in the television series Game of Thrones and the superhero Aquaman in the film of the same name.
Jason Momoa
American actor
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External Websites UN Environment Programme - Jason Namakaeha Momoa CNN - Jason Momoa: From the ashes we rise — how nature can still heal BBC - Radio 1's Screen Time - Jason Momoa Interview Special: Becoming...Aquaman Also known as: Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa Written by John P. Rafferty John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to... John P. Rafferty Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they he extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Dec. 10, 2025 •History News • Jason Momoa boosts Tongan film's oscar campaign • Dec. 8, 2025, 7:56 PM ET (ABC News (Australia)) Top Questions Who is Jason Momoa? What are some famous movies or TV shows Jason Momoa has acted in? Which character did Jason Momoa play in the TV series Game of Thrones? In which superhero film does Jason Momoa play the role of Aquaman? Where was Jason Momoa born and what is his cultural background? How has Jason Momoa influenced how people view superheroes and action heroes in movies?Jason Momoa (born August 1, 1979, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.) is an American television and film actor and producer who emerged in the 2000s as a character actor specializing in portrayals of warriors, fighters, and other violent characters. Momoa is best known for his long hair and muscled physique. His most popular roles were as the Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo in the television series Game of Thrones (2011–19) and as the title character in Aquaman (2018).
Early life and careerMomoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of Joseph Momoa, a painter, and Coni Lemke, a photographer. Six months after he was born, his parents divorced, and Momoa moved with his mother to Norwalk, Iowa, where he completed his elementary and high-school education. His interest in biology led him to take classes at a community college in Des Moines, Iowa, before moving to Fort Collins, Colorado, where he waited tables. He later moved to back to Hawaii to reconnect with his father and enrolled in the University of Hawaii’s marine biology program. Japanese-born American international fashion designer Takeo Kobayashi discovered Momoa, then aged 19, and encouraged him to pursue a modeling career. Momoa left the university and worked briefly in that industry before landing his first acting role, as a young lifeguard in the television series Baywatch: Hawaii.
After Baywatch: Hawaii ended in 2001, Momoa’s early acting career was marked by a series of supporting roles on television. His most prominent appearances were his turns as Frankie Seau on the drama North Shore (2004–05) and Ronon Dex in the science-fiction series Stargate: Atlantis (2005–09). During this period he took on his first motion-picture role, a small part in the comedy Johnson Family Vacation (2004).
Breakout roles: Game of Thrones and Aquaman
1 of 2AquamanJason Momoa as Aquaman in Justice League (2017).
2 of 2Game of ThronesThe cast of the Game of Thrones television series (2011–19) included (from left) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo, and Sean Bean as Eddard (“Ned”) Stark.Momoa was cast in his first leading role in a major motion picture in 2010, as the title character in Conan the Barbarian (2011). However, it was his turn as Khal Drogo, the fierce leader of the Dothraki people and husband of Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke), during the first two seasons of HBO’s blockbuster television series Game of Thrones (2011–19) that captured the attention of Hollywood directors. In 2014 American director Zack Snyder cast Momoa in the role of Aquaman (a half-human, half-Atlantean being who possesses the powers to manipulate water and communicate with marine animals). Although the film Aquaman was not released until 2018, Momoa appeared in the role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), two other Snyder-directed films based on the DC Comics franchise.
Momoa was later cast as the legendary swordsman Duncan Idaho in French Canadian film director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel Dune (2021). During the same period, Momoa continued to act in television series: he played the ex-convict Phillip Kopus in The Red Road (2014–15), the fur-trading outlaw Declan Harp in Frontier (2016–18), and Baba Voss, the chief of the Alkenny, in See (2019–22). In 2023 he returned as Aquaman in the sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and joined the Fast & Furious franchise as the villain Dante Reyes in Fast X. The following year Momoa starred with Jack Black in the box-office smash A Minecraft Movie, based on the popular video game.
Activism and personal lifeIn addition to acting, Momoa is active in environmental and philanthropic circles. He founded Mananalu, a company that packages water in aluminum cans and advocates for and contributes its profits to recycling plastic and removing plastic pollution from the oceans. He has raised money on behalf of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, a group promoting environmental awareness through beach cleanup and educational outreach events.
Quick Facts In full: Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa Born: August 1, 1979, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. (age 46) On the Web: CNN - Jason Momoa: From the ashes we rise — how nature can still heal (Dec. 10, 2025) See all related contentMomoa was married to actress Lisa Bonet from 2017 to 2022. The pair has two children together.
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John P. Rafferty