Jason Momoa has fired back at “dad bod” criticisms. The Aquaman star has seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few years, particularly due in part to his roles in HBO’s Game of Thrones and of course, his appointment as Protector of the Deep.
In addition to the increasing popularity that the 40-year-old star currently enjoys, his stock as a sex symbol has also skyrocketed over the years. This, as well as his apparent friendly and down to earth persona, have helped to make his fanbase a varied bunch that are prepared to see him in anything, whether it be an Aquaman sequel, a revenge thriller for Netflix, or a TV series about a world in which only the blind exist. Recently, however, photos have appeared online showing Momoa at the beach with his family. While the shirtless star appears to be very far from flabby, his physique is obviously no longer exactly how it was when he starred in Aquaman, prompting some trolls to conclude that Momoa now has a “dad bod”. As for Momoa, he hasn’t allowed the ridiculous body shaming to bother him at all, as he proved in a recent encounter with the tabloid press.
Now, Momoa is hitting back at those who helped spread the fallacy that he has a dad bod while helping to highlight a social cause at the same time. Twitter user @Batmancanseeyou posted a video of a shirtless Momoa at an ongoing protest in Hawaii. Scrawled across the Aquaman star’s chest is the phrase: “TMT + Canary Islands = Discovery”. In the short video clip (which can be seen below), Momoa states “How’s that for a dad body? TMT, the Canary Islands want you. We don’t want you. Please leave.”
The protests in question deal with the dormant volcano called Manua Kea, which is on the island of Hawaii. Since 2014, indigenous groups in the area have been trying to prevent the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the mountain, which is considered sacred land. The proposed astronomical observatory which houses the TMT has recently been greenlit by the state of Hawaii, despite strong push back from indigenous and non-Indigenous Hawaiians alike. The message on Momoa’s chest refers to the fact that the Canary Islands have been considered as the “plan B” backup sight for the TMT. A true dad to the core, Momoa – who was born in Hawaii and is of mixed Indigenous Hawaiian ancestry – brought along his son, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha to the protest. Though it can’t be seen in the above video, his son is also shirtless, with the words “TMT + Mauna Kea = Desecration” daubed on his chest.
Seeing celebrities take an active role in a social cause is not all that uncommon. However, in the case of Momoa, it’s particularly admirable for a couple of reasons. For one, Momoa was born in Hawaii and has Indigenous Hawaiian parentage on his father’s side. This makes the cause more personal for the star and not something he’s doing simply to gain publicity for himself. Secondly, Momoa took the negative press and trolling of his supposed “dad bod” and flipped it on its head, utilizing his body to support and draw attention to a cause he’s dedicated to. Once again, it seems, Momoa has proven himself a class act.
Source: @Batmancanseeyou
