I’ve literally been sitting on my hands for several years to do an MCM on Jason Momoa — just needed this hottie to do a few more historical things so I could justify it! Well now that he’s starred in/co-created/produced the EXCELLENT 18th-century Hawaiian epic Chief of War, I think it’s time to enjoy! Okay, so I’m going to include some fantasy productions in here — gotta pad.
Conan in Conan the Barbarian (2011)
A “new interpretation” of the fantasy sword and sorcery barbarian character. But hey, “barbarian” = ye oldey timey right?
Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones (2011-12)
Another fantasy story! The famed TV show has lots of historical references but it’s in a made-up world. Sometimes we die on principle and refuse to include it, but since it’s the show that made us all fall in love, I’m including it! Momoa plays a “barbarian”-type warlord.
Jean Lafitte / Jim Thorpe in Drunk History (2013-19)
Momoa has been in two episode of Drunk History, first playing French pirate/privateer/slave trader Jean Lafitte (c. 1780-c. 1823); then athlete Jim Thorpe (1887-1953), the first Native American to win a gold medal for the US in the Olympics (Momoa is of mixed white, Hawaiian, and Pawnee heritage).
Declan Harp in Frontier (2016-18)
A truly terribly costumed attempt to depict the world of late-18th-century fur traders.
Big Jim in The Last Manhunt (2022)
An early-20th-century-set Western about a Native American couple fleeing a posse. I think Momoa’s character is one of the chasers.
Ka’iana in Chief of War (2025)
Momoa plays real-life 18th-century Hawaiian warrior chief Ka’iana in this TV series about the unification of Hawaii (1782-1810). It’s not just an entertaining show, but it has deeply researched indigenous costumes!
Which is your favorite of Jason Momoa’s historical or historically-inspired roles?
Chief of War is amazingly researched and respectful. But super violent – needs ALL the trigger warnings for ALL the things!!
I must be getting immune, I didn’t think the violence was THAT bad! I just watched American Primeval and nearly jumped off my couch at some of the violence in that.
I look forward to the day when he and Mr Jason Statham finally team up for some cinematic mayhem.
Also, dear me but he DOES look rakish in that buccaneer costume: it would be fun to see him do something a bit more dandyish than usual (I suspect he’d enjoy the chance to play someone Fancy).
Not a FF by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoyed Momoa cosplaying as a 1990s pro wrestler in the Minecraft movie. He looked like he was having a blast.
For some more Polynesian content (specifically Maori content), take a look at Temuera Morrison’s filmography. He has used his Star Wars clout to bring attention to Maori filmmakers in New Zealand, including a few historical films such as River Queen and Mahana.
The original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard were indeed set on our Earth, in a supposed mythic time before recorded history (with the continents supposedly having shifted a bit, so for example Conan’s homeland of Cimmeria was supposedly where the British Isles are now. (From the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie: “Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of. And unto this: Conan!”)
TL;DR – Conan can definitely be counted as “historical if you squint a bit” (and by the same token, so can JRR Tolkien’s works, which similarly are supposed to be set “before recorded history”).
Interesting! I didn’t know that about LOTR!