Jason Momoa biography, height, kids, age, dating history, family 2025

Jason Momoa Biography

Jason Momoa (full name – Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa) is an American actor, model, producer, and screenwriter. He gained fame through the series "Baywatch," "Stargate: Atlantis," "Game of Thrones," "Conan the Barbarian," and his role as Aquaman in the DC Comics universe. Momoa's first appearance in this role was in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

American actor of Hawaiian origin Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa's Childhood

Jason Momoa was born on August 1, 1979, in Honolulu, the capital of the Hawaiian Islands. He was the first and only child of artist Joseph Momoa and photographer Coni Lemke. His father is a pure-blooded Hawaiian, while his mother's lineage blends German, Irish, and Native American heritage. This unique mix gave the actor his exotic appearance and impressive natural attributes: the actor stands 6'4" tall (his muscle definition that captivates female audiences is his own personal achievement).

This is how rugged Jason Momoa looked as a child

Jason's parents divorced when their son was still a toddler. The boy stayed with his mother, and they soon moved to Iowa. Jason, who showed athletic abilities from an early age, spent his free time outdoors. As he grew older, he became passionate about rock climbing and axe throwing. After high school, Jason enrolled in a local college where he studied marine biology.

Jason Momoa was born in Hawaii and grew up in Iowa

In his youth, Momoa traveled extensively and developed himself in many ways. As a student, he journeyed around half the world, studied painting in Paris, and explored Buddhism in Tibet. Shortly before earning his bachelor's degree, he returned to Hawaii to reconnect with his father.

Acting Career

In 1998, Japanese designer Takeo Kobayashi spotted Jason Momoa's strikingly handsome features, athletic build, and towering height. He's the one who brought the bronzed heartthrob into the modeling world, which was just a stepping stone to an acting career. While competing in local beauty contests, the guy was working part-time as a sales clerk at a surf shop.

In 1999, Momoa landed a spot in the cast of the iconic series "Baywatch." The creators chose him from 1,300 candidates, despite the fact that he had no clue how to behave on a film set. His character Jason Ioane appeared in forty episodes, and later in the show's feature-length spinoff "Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding" (2003).

In 2004, the actor appeared in the series "North Shore," which delighted viewers with plenty of ocean scenery and scantily-clad models. That same year, he played a small role in the comedy "Johnson Family Vacation," and in 2005 he landed the role of Ronon Dex, one of the key characters in the sci-fi series "Stargate: Atlantis," which aired until 2009.

Momoa's appearance in "Johnson Family Vacation"

By then, it was hard to recognize the sultry youth from teen magazine posters that Momoa had been just five years earlier. Thick dreadlocks became his signature look. He eventually got rid of them before the final season, though – the heavy hairstyle was causing neck and back pain. To avoid fan outrage, they made him a wig.

In 2010, he played the lead in the feature film "Conan the Barbarian." The movie bombed at the box office and was savaged by critics. Momoa couldn't escape comparisons to a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, and as often happens in these situations, the comparison didn't work in his favor.

But the failure didn't hurt the actor's career, because that same year he was cast in a new HBO project that promised to revolutionize the global television industry. And that's exactly what happened – the legendary "Game of Thrones" became an Event with a capital E. Momoa got the role of Khal Drogo, leader of the fearsome Dothraki. Early in the series, he buys young Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) to make her his wife and bear him an heir.

Interestingly, he landed the role of Drogo not so much because of his muscles, but thanks to his dance skills. To stand out among the many competitors, he performed a traditional New Zealand war dance and definitely caught the casting director's attention.

One after another (in 2013 and 2014), two failed projects appeared in Momoa's filmography: the action film "Wolves" (Momoa played a werewolf) and the horror film "Debug." In 2014, he wrote the screenplay and directed the thriller "Road to Paloma," which tells the story of a friendship between two rebellious hearts: Robert, who's avenging his mother's death, and Cash, a disenfranchised biker.

The actor admitted that he loves playing good guys with not-so-good reputations most of all. In his opinion, this character type is the most beloved by audiences.

In 2016, another Momoa project worth noting hit screens. This post-apocalyptic drama "The Bad Batch" takes place in the near future – Americans who don't meet society's standards get exiled to desert wastelands, and not everyone can reach the safe oasis because of a roving gang of cannibals. Jason plays one of them – a cannibal who falls in love with his victim (Suki Waterhouse).

"The Bad Batch": Jason Momoa and Suki Waterhouse

In 2016, Jason Momoa joined the DC Comics cinematic universe, taking on the role of superhero Aquaman. Thanks to his magical trident, he can command water and sea creatures, plus develop incredible speed while swimming.

Momoa first appeared as Aquaman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which told the story of the showdown between Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck's heroes. Along with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), he joined the Justice League to save humanity from destruction.

In 2018, Aquaman got his own standalone film, which gave audiences the full backstory. That same year saw the release of the drama "Braven" starring Momoa – he played a logger who declared war on drug dealers who wandered into his forest.

2019 brought the premiere of the series "See," where Jason Momoa played the lead role. The plot follows a future where the human race has lost its sight, and their lives change when sighted twins appear in the tribe. The project was a success and got renewed for a second season, which premiered in 2020.

SEE — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

In 2021, Jason appeared in two films. While the first, the thriller "Sweet Girl," where his character and his on-screen daughter get revenge on gangsters for killing his wife and her mother, went almost unnoticed, the blockbuster "Dune" premiere became a real event for movie fans. True, in the first part, Momoa's character, swordsman Duncan Idaho, doesn't get much screen time, but they expanded his storyline in the second part.

Even though Momoa isn't new to cinema and has worked on fundamental projects like "Game of Thrones" and "Justice League," the scale of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" blew him away. "I've never been part of something this massive before," the actor gushed in an interview. "I can't believe I got to work alongside Javier Bardem!"

In November 2022, Netflix released his children's fantasy "Slumberland." The fifty-year-old giant transformed into Flip, a funny half-goat satyr with sharp teeth and a pink hat, a comical rogue alongside an eleven-year-old girl. Critics winced, but audiences fell in love with this unexpected transformation. Momoa proved he could do more than just wield a trident – he could entertain kids too.

Marlowe Barkley and Jason Momoa against a backdrop of winter mountains — Still from the movie "Slumberland"

2023 brought Momoa a role that completely flipped perceptions of him as an actor. In "Fast X," he appeared as Dante Reyes – the franchise's main villain and son of that same Hernan from "Fast Five." But what a villain! Pink nails, extravagant outfits, theatrical mannerisms – Momoa created a caricature of his own tough-guy image. Dante turned out not intimidating but almost comedic as an antagonist, bringing a fresh breath of air to the tired action formula.

Dante Challenges Dom | Fast X | CLIP

Meanwhile, the actor was wrapping up work on the Apple TV+ series "See," where for three seasons he played blind warrior Baba Voss in a post-apocalyptic world. The final episodes aired in 2022, closing out one of the most physically demanding roles in the Hawaiian's career.

December 2023 finally saw the premiere of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Though the film received a lukewarm reception from critics, Momoa donned Atlantis's crown one last time with special nostalgia – the DC Extended Universe era was coming to an end, and his character was passing into history.

Jason Momoa's Personal Life

While filming "Baywatch," Momoa met actress Simmone Jade MacKinnon. They quickly became close, announcing their engagement in 2004, but the wedding wasn't meant to be – 2006 marked the end of their relationship.

Simmone MacKinnon and Jason Momoa were engaged

Lisa Bonet

In 2005, while still with Simmone, the actor met actress Lisa Bonet, ex-wife of musician Lenny Kravitz. Their romance wasn't deterred by Jason's engagement or their age gap – Lisa was 12 years older than her chosen one.

Contrary to popular belief, Jason and Lisa didn't marry in 2007, but in 2017. By then, they already had two children together – daughter Lola Iolani (born July 23, 2007) and son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha (born December 15, 2008).

The boy's unusual name wasn't chosen randomly. Since he was born in Los Angeles at night during a fierce thunderstorm, his parents gave him this meaningful name: Nakoa means "warrior," Mana means "spiritual strength," Kaua means "rain," and Po means "dark."

Additionally, Momoa became stepfather to Lisa's daughter from her first marriage – actress and singer Zoë Kravitz.

Early 2022 brought sad news for the couple's fans. Momoa and Bonet decided to divorce. After 16 years together, the feelings had cooled, though they remain on good terms.

Behind the poetic language about "times of change" and "revolution" lay a sad truth – their paths had diverged back in October 2020, exactly on their third wedding anniversary.

At the 2022 Oscars Vanity Fair afterparty, Momoa was spotted with Kate Beckinsale. They chatted sweetly at the bar, laughed a lot, and at one point Jason hugged Kate while she smiled. According to witnesses, they left the party together, and at some point Jason took off his jacket and draped it over his companion's shoulders.

Adria Arjona

In May 2024, Momoa openly revealed his new love – Puerto Rican actress Adria Arjona, known from "Morbius" and "Hitman." They first met in 2021 on the set of thriller "Sweet Girl," but both were married then. Romance bloomed later when the stars aligned at the right time.

Arjona, daughter of legendary Latin American singer Ricardo Arjona, is twelve years younger than Momoa, but they share a love for adventure and motorcycles. "My lady loves to ride," the actor admitted in an interview. "Any excuse for extra hugs."

The couple prefers keeping their relationship private from excessive attention, occasionally treating fans to joint photos from travels through Japan or Italy.

Jason Momoa Now

Spring 2025 became a triumph for Momoa. "Minecraft" starring him and Jack Black exploded at the box office, pulling in nearly a billion dollars worldwide despite scathing reviews from critics. As Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison – a former video game champion who owns a run-down shop – Momoa showcased his comedic chops in full force. Audiences fell in love with his chemistry with Black.

Jack Black in a blue t-shirt and Jason Momoa in a pink jacket vigorously shaking hands — Jack Black and Jason Momoa in "Minecraft"

Meanwhile, the actor fulfilled a longtime dream by launching the historical miniseries "Chief of War" for Apple TV+. He served as one of the directors, writers, and lead actors.

This was a project he'd been planning for ages – the story of Hawaiian island unification told through indigenous eyes. Momoa played the real historical figure Kaiyana. The series became both a tribute to his Hawaiian roots and an attempt to show Pacific colonization from an unfamiliar perspective.

Jason Momoa shirtless with traditional Hawaiian decorations and tattoos against a mountain backdrop — Jason Momoa in "Chief of War"

The actor's musical side also found an outlet. In 2024, Momoa formed the power trio ÖOF TATATÁ with longtime friends, playing several shows in Nashville and New Zealand. Then in July 2025, he hosted Black Sabbath's farewell concert in Birmingham – any metalhead's dream come true.

He's signed on to play Lobo in the rebooted DC cinematic universe – the alien antihero will be his second superhero incarnation after Aquaman. Also in development is a "Street Fighter" adaptation where Jason might play the green-skinned Blanka.

Fun Facts

Momoa has a scar on his left eyebrow that's become his signature calling card. He got it pretty mundanely – during a bar fight, someone smashed a glass over his head, and a shard dug into his eyebrow, miraculously missing his eye.

Jason Momoa's scar is as famous as his beard and hair

Religion plays an important role in Jason's life. He's a Buddhist who regularly visits Tibetan temples, always discovering something new each time.

In real life, the actor is a calm and peaceful person

In his free time, Jason goes mountain hiking, kayaking, biking, rollerblading or snowboarding, plays guitar, and focuses on raising his kids.

Despite his life being tied to the film industry, Momoa absolutely hates watching movies. He'd rather read literature than watch films. The actor is particularly captivated by Japanese poetry and the works of Charles Baudelaire. What's more, he barely watches TV, doesn't use email, and dislikes phone conversations.

Jason Momoa: latest news and articles

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28 Jul 2025

Curtis Torres

Well, after Aquaman Momoa became incredibly famous :) Not to mention about how many girls are in love with him :)

2021-05-15 19:18:05
Chase Jayden Kelly

There is a not bad action movie with him Braven, he was killing drug traffickers. Let`s wait for his new roles.

2021-04-05 08:13:53
Shelly Pierce

It is Aquaman! I can`t say about other roles because I watched only one movie with him but he is good actor.

2021-03-11 19:08:15
Katherine Martinez

Oh yeah! I love this tall, with nice color of skin and so muscular! It doesn`t matter what roles he play, he is just the best!

2021-03-10 22:24:55
Anthony William Parker

The role of Aquaman was good for him, he played excellent. I`m not a big fan of DC but this movie is not so bad.

2021-02-21 10:10:19

Photos: Jason Momoa