This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

Episode #636 – Jason Momoa

Release Date: January 26, 2026
Guest: Jason Momoa

Episode Overview

Theo Von sits down with Jason Momoa – actor, producer, entrepreneur, and the man behind Aquaman. Their wide-ranging conversation covers Jason’s roots, his path from busboy to Hollywood, family and Hawaiian cultural identity, career lessons, environmental activism, close encounters with drowning, and hilarious asides about fame, friendship, and life. The episode radiates with laughs, gratitude, and vivid storytelling from both Theo and Jason.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Their First Meeting and Hollywood Encounters

[00:25–03:50]

• Meeting at SNL’s 50th: Theo describes being physically pulled into Jason Momoa’s orbit during an early encounter, feeling immediately aware of Jason’s imposing presence and friendliness.
• Starstruck Among Legends: Jason shares a surreal moment being introduced to Chevy Chase and Bill Murray by Chevy’s wife in a star-studded room — “I’m sandwiched between them and I’m just going like, this beautiful woman Brought this together.” [02:26, Jason]
• Nostalgia for the ‘90s: Both reminisce about the music (Hanson, Crisscross), and passing on vintage fashion to their kids.

2. Jason’s Early Life and Hawaiian Identity

[03:50–15:40]

• Growing Up Between Iowa and Hawaii: Jason grew up mostly in Iowa after his parents’ divorce but always straddled two cultures. He tells how Bridges of Madison County connects him to both places, and how he’d bus tables to save up for adventures like rock climbing and snowboarding.
• Marine Biology Dreams: Before acting, Jason was set on marine biology — even attended special school programs and took spring trips from Iowa to the Florida Keys.
• Break into TV: A chance casting while surfing in Hawaii at 19 flipped his life from busboy to actor (Baywatch).
• Hawaiian Heritage and Responsibility: Jason, whose father is Hawaiian and mother is of German-Irish descent, explains the deep responsibility and trauma in the Hawaiian community related to colonization, loss of language, and cultural revival:

  “Our culture and our language was completely removed from us, like most indigenous races… really trying to get it back.” [12:03, Jason]

3. Family, Fatherhood, and Cultural Pride

[13:22–16:17, 46:03–47:29]

• Waterman Legacy: Jason’s family is filled with legendary watermen and surfers (notably uncle Buffalo Keaulana and cousin Brian Keaulana), passing on ocean skills across generations.
• Aquaman Parallels: “It’s crazy,” Jason says, to play Aquaman given his family’s deep ties to the sea. He stresses the pride and weight Hawaiians feel to uphold their culture.
• Fatherhood: Jason is a proud dad. His son (Nicola Wolf) recently booked a part in “Dune.” He notes the challenge and pride of having kids following him into the industry:

  “They grew up on set with me… now my son just auditioned on his own and got it.” [46:12–46:35, Jason]

4. Nature, Danger, and Lessons from Drowning

[16:17–18:50, 78:10–79:44]

• Theo and Jason Trade Drowning Stories:

  “Drowning sucks… everything flashes in and you can’t move your arms anymore, and you’re going down and you can’t breathe.” [17:21, Jason]

• Quitting Smoking After a Near-Drowning: After nearly drowning in Maui, Jason quit a lifelong smoking habit on the spot.
• Junior Lifeguarding: Jason and his family spent years as lifeguards, and he’s personally saved lives in the ocean — emphasizing respect for water and knowing how to read rips and currents.

5. The Wrecking Crew and Hollywood Team-ups

[19:24–21:41, 57:12–59:06]

• New Film with Dave Bautista:

  “It’s just a fun movie… want to do laugh a little more… working out family trauma, you know, that kind of stuff.” [20:53, Jason]

• Origin: Jason reveals “The Wrecking Crew” is rooted in a buddy-cop pitch he wrote years ago; Batista’s enthusiastic viral post made it real, with comedy and chemistry at its heart.
• Relationship with Dave Bautista: Jason values Dave for being a genuinely supportive partner, not egotistical, and for being willing to “bleed” for the story —

  “A lot of famous dudes can’t bleed or can’t get hurt. I’m like, fuck, I die in everything.” [57:16, Jason]

6. Creative Fulfillment & Life Balance

[35:38–40:03]

• Accomplishment vs. Fulfillment:
  Jason reflects deeply on hitting his career goals (“I did the TV show for my people, I became Aquaman, lived my dreams”) but wonders why absolute fulfillment remains elusive.

  “Why was I happier when I was in the fucking hole?... There’s these little smaller things that I love doing and staying busy.” [35:38–37:45, Jason]

• Gratitude and Mental Health: Both talk about the importance of gratitude, staying busy with passion projects, and keeping perspective in the face of “success.”
• On Working and Saying No:

  “I don’t have any time for those things. I have a hard time saying no, so I say yes to everything… Here’s the thing. I’m doing everything I love to do, so I don’t ever think of it as work.” [39:00, Jason]

7. Comedy, Writing, and New Projects

[31:40–33:31, 83:08–84:38]

• Theo’s Busboys Film with David Spade:

  “It's called Busboys. It's about two guys who aren't doing that good and… if we can become waiters, then everything will be great.” [32:15, Theo]

• Andy Samberg Collaboration: Jason unexpectedly lands a new comedy with Samberg after a chance meeting, quick pitch, and immediate green light.
• Friendships & Networking: Both note the weird joy of Hollywood: creative partnerships spark out of random meetings and mutual respect.

8. Culture and Language on Set

[25:00–26:31]

• On 'Chief of War': Jason details the pride and challenge of creating an authentic Hawaiian-language historical drama, involving many Polynesian actors learning ancient Hawaiian for the first time:

  "We did it in our native language… all these people in there doing that, it's hard. It was the hardest for me." [25:21, Jason]

9. Adventures, Travel, and Connections

[67:26–70:56]

• Guatemala, Family, and Music: Recent travels with his partner to Guatemala, meeting her family, being ‘the gringo,’ and attending concerts by her father, major Latin musician Ricardo Arjona.
• Favorite Places: Theo and Jason swap favorite travel stories (Theo: South Africa, Jason: Guatemala and Hawaii).

10. Environmental Activism & Entrepreneurship

[73:01–77:51]

• Mananalu Water: Jason’s eco-startup makes water in aluminum bottles to fight plastic waste, promoting zero-waste hospitality and hotel systems, especially in Hawaii:

  "We don’t need single use plastic… the idea is just to cut waste… bottled up… constantly reusable and recyclable." [76:35, Jason]

• Vision: Wants to expand the model across hotels, schools, and businesses, using local water and circular systems.

11. Life, Fitness, and Getting Older

[81:11–82:07]

• Training for Aquaman: Found the gym work for superhero roles ‘pretty challenging’ but prefers outdoor sports (rock climbing, surfing) to regimented workouts.

12. Fame, Recognition, and Humor

[60:27–65:03]

• Being Recognized: Jason laughs about attempts to disguise himself in public (“I can’t hide. I mean, I'm in the flannel and a hat. It's about as hiding as it gets.” [65:16]) and about being compared to other celebrities and meme figures.
• Rock Climbing Therapy: Finds peace and focus while rock climbing and riding motorcycles:

  “It’s just like you can’t do anything else but be there… That's my therapy or meditation.” [52:27, Jason]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“It's a beautiful teacher, man. The ocean's the ultimate teacher… Drowning sucks. No way about it.” — Jason Momoa [17:13]

“Why was I happier when I was in the fucking hole?... Sometimes, I’m still hunting, I’m hungry.” — Jason Momoa [35:38]

“A lot of famous dudes can’t bleed or can’t get hurt. I’m like, fuck, I die in everything.” — Jason Momoa [57:16]

“You make people smile. You make me smile.” — Jason Momoa to Theo Von [01:52]

“If you can’t afford to take your wife to Hawaii, take her to see this movie.” — Theo Von [21:22] on The Wrecking Crew

“I was with Laird [Hamilton]. I was out surfing… My leash snapped, and I was stuck out in the middle of the ocean… That’s when smoking was done for me.” — Jason Momoa [18:51]

"I can't sit still... if I don't have those things, I was pretty self-destructive if I wasn't creating and constantly doing stuff." — Jason Momoa [37:54]

"Bus boys are dope. They're always the coolest. They're gonna have the drugs. They're gonna know where the shit's at." — Jason Momoa [33:00]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Hollywood Encounters: [01:25–02:43]
• Growing Up / Early Jobs: [04:06–07:41]
• Hawaiian Roots / Family History: [13:22–15:12]
• Near-Drowning, Quitting Smoking: [17:13–18:51]
• Discussion of The Wrecking Crew: [19:24–21:29]
• Chief of War & Representation: [22:11–25:21]
• Comedy Projects / Busboys: [31:40–33:31]
• Passion vs. Career Fulfillment: [35:38–39:44]
• Rock Climbing / Therapy: [52:13–53:23]
• Monanalu Water / Eco-Entrepreneurship: [73:01–77:51]
• Fame & Trying to Hide: [63:10–65:18]

Tone & Language

• The episode is riff-driven, fast-paced, and deeply personal yet irreverently funny — classic Theo Von and Jason Momoa.
• Language is warm, informal, and occasionally profane but always authentic.
• Both hosts share stories with humor and vivid details, putting their unique spins on even heavy subjects (family trauma, near-death, career ambivalence).

Listen to This Episode If…

• You’re a fan of Jason Momoa and want to hear him unplugged — reflecting, joking, and getting real about his life, family, and beliefs.
• You want behind-the-scenes insight on Hollywood, fame, and creative work.
• You’re interested in Hawaiian culture, environmental activism, or just love a hilarious, heartfelt chat.

Recommended:
Catch “The Wrecking Crew” in theaters for buddy-cop action and comedy, plus Hawaii’s stunning landscapes. For more on Jason’s eco-project, check out Mananalu Water.