Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa (/məˈmoʊə/; born August 1, 1979) is an American actor. He made his acting debut as Jason Ioane on the syndicated action drama series Baywatch: Hawaii (1999–2001), which was followed by portrayals of Ronon Dex on the Syfy science fiction series Stargate Atlantis (2005–2009), and Khal Drogo in the first two seasons of the HBO fantasy drama series Game of Thrones (2011–2012). He went on to play the lead roles in the Discovery Channel historical drama series Frontier (2016–2018) and the Apple TV+ science fiction series See (2019–2022).

An only child, Momoa was born on August 1, 1979, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Coni (Lemke), a photographer, and Joseph Momoa, a painter. His father is Native Hawaiian, while his mother is of German, Irish, and Pawnee ancestry. Shortly after his birth, his parents divorced and he and his mother moved to Norwalk, Iowa, where he was raised. He graduated from Norwalk High School and was a member of the school's soccer team alongside Brandon Routh. Momoa attended Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and later attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

While in his teens, Momoa became a rock climber and boulderer when his mother took him to Custer State Park where lies Sylvan Lake and the Needles of South Dakota.

From 2016 to 2023, Momoa portrayed Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), primarily in the films Justice League (2017), Aquaman (2018), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), with cameo appearances in other media. Momoa has also played Duncan Idaho in the science fiction film Dune (2021), and has starred in the action film Fast X (2023).

• Full Name: Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa
• Date of Birth: August 1, 1979
• Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
• Ethnicity: Native Hawaiian, German, Irish, and Native American descent
• Early Life: Raised in Norwalk, Iowa, by his mother. Studied marine biology and wildlife biology before pursuing acting.

Career Highlights

• Early Career: Began with modeling, winning Hawaii’s Model of the Year 1999.
• Television Roles:
  • Baywatch Hawaii (1999–2001): Played Jason Ioane.
  • Stargate Atlantis (2005–2009): Played Ronon Dex.
  • Game of Thrones (2011–2012): Played Khal Drogo.
• Film Roles:
  • Conan the Barbarian (2011): Played the lead role of Conan.
  • DC Extended Universe:
    • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016): Cameo as Aquaman.
    • Justice League (2017) and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021): Played Aquaman.
    • Aquaman (2018) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (upcoming): Played the lead role of Aquaman.
• Other Notable Films:
  • Braven (2018)
  • Dune (2021): Played Duncan Idaho.

Personal Life

• Spouse: Lisa Bonet (married in 2017, separated in 2022)
• Children: Two - a daughter, Lola Iolani Momoa, and a son, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa
• Hobbies and Interests: Surfing, rock climbing, playing guitar, martial arts, and philanthropy.