Overview of #636 - Jason Momoa
Theo Von sits down with actor, producer and entrepreneur Jason Momoa for a wide-ranging conversation covering his upbringing in Hawaii and Iowa, early jobs and breakout on Baywatch, major acting projects (Aquaman, Game of Thrones, Chief of War), his new film The Wrecking Crew with Dave Bautista, creative ambitions (comedy, producing/directing), personal struggles (addiction and sobriety), outdoor passions (surfing, rock climbing, lifeguarding), family life, and his sustainability venture Mananalu — a reusable/refillable water system aimed at cutting single‑use plastic.
Key topics discussed
- Career highlights and creative control
- From Baywatch at 19 to blockbuster roles (Aquaman), TV (Game of Thrones), and producing/creating projects about Hawaiian history (Chief of War).
- Recent and upcoming projects: The Wrecking Crew (with Dave Bautista), a comedy project with Jack Black (Minecraft), and a self-funded film with David Spade (Busboys).
- Desire to do more comedy and smaller passion projects now that he has creative freedom.
- The Wrecking Crew
- A buddy-action/comedy set and shot in Hawaii; Momoa co-created and produced the project and praises its look, action and accessibility as a “feel‑good” Hawaiian movie experience.
- Hawaiian culture and Chief of War
- Deep family ties to waterman/ surfing culture (Keolana family), upbringing on West Oahu (Nanakuli/Waianae).
- Chief of War: a passion project produced in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) exploring pre‑contact Hawaiian history and unification — meaningful to Momoa personally and culturally.
- Personal background
- Childhood: born in Hawaii, lived in Iowa, college stints at DMACC and brief time in Arizona/Colorado; worked as busboy, surfshop employee, trail crew.
- Family: mixed heritage (Hawaiian father, German/Irish mother), several siblings; father and uncles are noted watermen and coaches.
- Near‑drowning and addiction
- Described a traumatic near‑drowning in Maui (leash snapped, swept out), rescued by fellow watermen (Laird Hamilton and others). That event triggered him to quit smoking and helped with sobriety efforts.
- Talks candidly about substance struggles (tobacco, cocaine), AA meetings, being “in and out of sobriety,” and the importance of structure and avoidance.
- Outdoor life and mental health
- Loves rock climbing, surfing, motorcycles — uses physical risk activities as meditation and therapeutic focus.
- Lifeguard/junior lifeguards background; reflections on rescue mentality and ocean respect.
- Entrepreneurship and environment
- Mananalu: founded to reduce single-use plastic on islands/tourism hubs. Aluminum screw-top cans + hotel refill/circular systems powered with Boomerang to limit waste and transport emissions.
- Motivation: preserve oceans, reduce plastic pollution, create circular reuse models for hospitality and schools.
- Family & kids
- Talks about his children (mentions son Wolf who auditioned and was cast as Leto Jr. in Dune), parenting, and wanting to model passion-driven work for them.
- Gratitude and life outlook
- Reflects on mixed feelings after achieving major career goals — gratitude but continued hunger and drive; the importance of small actions and giving back.
Notable quotes & moments
- “I don’t ever think of it as work. I’m just doing things I love to do.”
- “I just try to have gratitude in all of it.”
- On the near‑drowning: the incident changed him physically and mentally — “someone took my breath” — and became a turning point in quitting smoking.
- On Chief of War: making a show in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and about his people was “my baby,” deeply meaningful to family and community.
- On creative ambition now: “I’m kind of done now. I’m just going to do fun shit and I want to do comedy.”
Personal stories & anecdotes (highlights)
- Meeting celebrities at SNL 50 and being sandwiched between Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.
- Early jobs: bragging about being a very good busboy, taking leftover restaurant food home for friends.
- Rescued after a leash break at the outer reef in Maui; Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama and friends helped.
- Rock climbing as meditation: describes how the sport focuses mind/body and acts as therapy.
- Running Mananalu as a solution-driven business: how seeing plastic bottled water in airports sparked the idea to use aluminum + refill systems.
Practical takeaways & recommendations
- Watch: The Wrecking Crew (if you want a Hawaiian-set, buddy-action movie with humor and local scenery).
- Explore: Chief of War (Apple TV project) if interested in authentic Hawaiian storytelling and language.
- Environmental action: consider reusable/refillable alternatives to single‑use plastic; support companies and hospitality programs implementing circular systems like Mananalu/Boomerang.
- If dealing with addiction or recovery, Momoa’s openness underscores the value of AA/support groups, removing triggers and building structure.
Quick list — what to follow next
- The Wrecking Crew — new film with Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista.
- Mananalu — Momoa’s aluminum/ refill water initiative (look into hotel/ hospitality rollouts and Boomerang partnership).
- Momoa’s other projects / comedy ambitions: Minecraft with Jack Black; Busboys (with David Spade).
- Chief of War — check Apple TV for the Hawaiian-language historical series he co-created/produced.
This episode mixes warm, funny off‑the‑cuff stories with candid reflections on family, culture, addiction and sustainability — a good listen for fans of Momoa’s work, people interested in Hawaiian culture, and anyone curious about how celebrity creatives pivot into purpose-driven business and storytelling.