Jason Momoa: 'Fast X' star on playing the bad guy and his ‘unexplainable’ connection to New Zealand

Hollywood sensation Jason Momoa secured his famous feature as Khal Drogo in HBO’s Game of Thrones by performing a haka before assuming his blockbuster role as DC’s Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that shot him into superstardom.

Momoa has been cast in the tenth instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast X as bad guy Dante Reyes, somewhat of a juxtaposition from previous roles. 

There is, of course, a Kiwi connection. Momoa told Newstalk ZB’s Jack Tame he feels Native Hawaiians and Māori share a special connection of race and language, as well as parallels of having experienced colonisation.

He recognises Māori as having been the first indigenous population to sign a treaty and says having seen how many Kiwis embrace Māori culture and language has strengthened his affection for Aotearoa New Zealand.

“The Kiwis and people that take pride and know the language and understand that is beautiful, because that doesn’t happen where I come from and so there’s a lot of beauty in both cultures growing together – and it’s the greatest rugby team in the world.”

For someone who considers himself an outdoorsman, Momoa told Tame his time spent in Aotearoa New Zealand going from summit to sea was “heaven.”

He says our country is the most diverse ecosystem in the world – aside from the lack of desert – although “we’re all leading to that anyway,” he adds with a wry smile.

In a very poignant moment, the mega-star becomes suddenly grounded and describes the moment when he landed in Auckland, saying he felt he had been here in a past life.

“I think when I landed here, just the feeling that shot through my body when I was here… my people have been here, my ancestors have been here. I just felt a deep connection that’s unexplainable.”

Having played such a well-known hero in Aquaman, there were a few raised eyebrows when it was announced he was cast as a villain.

“I mean, playing the villain is the best, ‘cause you get to be bad,” he told Jack Tame.

Momoa star says playing a role that opposes his own way of life is what makes it enjoyable.

“You get to do stuff that you’re not allowed to do and I don’t necessarily sit by those values and I don’t follow that way so I’m playing someone that I don’t agree with, so that’s fun. That’s why I signed up for it.”

As a self-confessed petrol head, Momoa is a perfect fit for a role in the Fast and Furious franchise.

“I’d say about 80 per cent of the motorcycle stuff I did,” although he adds that’s that there were a few stunts that called for a professional as had he been injured “the movie would be over.”

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