One Movie Changed Jason Momoa’s Life After Game of Thrones Left Him To Starve
Jason Momoa rose to fame when he took the role of Khal Drogo in the fantasy series Game of Thrones on HBO in 2011. He played the character for two seasons before he was killed off. Later, the actor appeared in Frontier on Discovery Channel, but the DC Studios film saved him.
Fans of the show still refer to Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo, who played the leader of the Dothraki people and was married to Emilia Clarke’s character Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones. His character received a great deal of praise and admiration from fans all around the world. However, the actor experienced some negative effects from appearing on the popular show for just two seasons. Let’s learn more.
Jason Momoa says he was in debt after Game of Thrones
In an interview with InStyle, actor Jason Momoa, who is widely recognized as Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones, revealed that he had a hard time post the show because his character was killed off on the show before the show became the phenomenon it is today. He said,
“I mean, we were starving after Game of Thrones. I couldn’t get work. It’s very challenging when you have babies and you’re completely in debt.”
Momoa said that he spent several years struggling to pay the bills at the Topanga Canyon house where he lived with his then-wife Lisa Bonet and their two kids.
In an interview with EW’s James Hibberd, the actor revealed that playing the Dothraki warlord on the show in which he spoke in the Dothraki language somehow made people assume that he couldn’t read dialogue or could only play strong silent warrior roles. He said,
“For a while afterward, a lot of people bagged on me. It hurt me a lot. People thought I didn’t speak English. They didn’t know I was playing a role. I’m nothing like Drogo. I’m like Drogo when I’m being lovey and close to the woman I love and being nice, but his other half is not me.”
The actor further shared with the interviewer that later he was happy to know that the audience had fell in love with Drogo when they rewatched the show. Khal Drogo is still one of the fan favorite characters on the show. He has great regards for the show and the character he played on-screen.
Starring as Aquaman changed Jason Momoa’s life
The actor was later called in to play Aquaman / Arthur Curry in DC Studios’ Justice League and then he starred as the lead in his standalone movie, 2018’s Aquaman, which not only impressed the audience but also managed to gross over $1.1 billion worldwide. With Aquaman, Momoa managed to make it to the list of talented actors in the industry.
Back in 2018, during an interview with CBR, the actor shared when asked what made the movie special to him,
“We’re actors, so it’s not really necessary. To play Drogo [in Game of Thrones], I don’t really need to go through what Drogo did to become him. But playing Arthur Curry allowed him to play it really close to who I am, in all of his imperfections. The cool thing is just being able to relate as someone who is truly half two different cultures, and each one of those cultures doesn’t know about the other one.”
In addition to playing Aquaman in DCEU, the actor also starred in Fast X, Dune: Part One, and has managed to impress the audience with his exceptional acting skills and looks.
What do we know about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?
The sequel to Aquaman from 2018 is set to release in December and is going to see Jason Momoa once again as Aquaman in the movie for but the movie, which is highly anticipated, has found itself surrounded by controversies and gossip. According to Coming Soon, an industry insider, Jeff Sneider, who had appeared on The Hot Mic Podcast, revealed that there were about 20 scenes that never made it to the movie.
He said, “I’m told there were like 20 scenes cut. 20 scenes, basically, cut from Aquaman 2, and two of them featured her (Amber Heard). She’s not even in the movie that much, from what I understand.”
The reports have suggested that the makers wanted to replace Amber Heard, who plays Mera in the movie and is the love interest of Arthur Curry, because the main leads lacked chemistry but Amber Heard in her testimony during her defamation trial against Johnny Depp said that it was the aftermath of being sued by her ex-husband for $50 million. But her agent also confirmed during the testimony that it was because of the chemistry the makers wanted to replace her but didn’t.
Recently, the documents of the defamataion trial were published online in which a note from Heard’s therapist was found which had scribbled, “Jason said he wanted me fired. Jason is drunk — late on set. Dressing like Johnny. Has all the rings too,” the notes read via ComicBook. Thus the movie found itself surrounded by controversies.
A DC spokesperson, however, clarified and said,
“Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” Another insider said via ComicBook, they also added, “Jason works his ass off, likes to have a beer once in a while like everyone, but doesn’t show up drunk to set. And he isn’t dressing like Johnny Depp. He has always dressed in that bohemian style.”
Jason Momoa has not yet spoken about the situation till now.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens on Dec. 21
