In recent years, Jason Momoa has been making waves. Years after scoring his first entertainment gig as a Baywatch star, the Hawaiian-born actor went to portray some of the most badass roles we’ve seen in both television and film. He may not be among the highest-grossing actors of the last decade, but Momoa has certainly made a mark in the industry, nonetheless.
And as we wait to see what’s next for this actor, we thought it would be a good idea to look reflect on Momoa’s career by exploring his top 10 performances so far, based on reviews from critics.
Bullet To The Head, 45%
Directed by Walter Hill, this 2012 crime thriller revolves around an assassin (Sylvester Stallone) and a detective (Sung Kang) who strike up an unlikely partnership to take down a common enemy. Meanwhile, Momoa described his character as a mercenary “who likes to shoot people in the head” while speaking with Collider.
He also happens to be the man that Stallone and Kang are after. Generally, the movie offers some good action scenes but if you ask critics, it’s not enough for Bullet to the Head to be considered one of Hill’s best movies.
The Bad Batch, 47%
This 2016 movie stars Momoa as the mysterious Miami Man who leads a group of cannibals as they kidnap a woman played by Suki Waterhouse. Meanwhile, action star Keanu Reeves plays The Dream, a cult-like leader that rules over a place where “bad batch” members can seek refuge from cannibals.
Admittedly, the plot sounds bizarre and the cannibal element easily makes it one of Reeves’ darkest movies to date. As for Momoa, he delivers a strong performance here and some even say that his portrayal is reminiscent of his famous tv role.
Road To Paloma, 57%
Perhaps, for Momoa, there is no project more personal than Road to Paloma. The 2014 drama marks Momoa’s directorial debut, telling Red Carpet Crash, “I always knew I wanted to direct it.” Just like other actors who sometimes write their own movies, Momoa himself co-wrote the screenplay for this film, along with Robert Homer Mollohan and Jonathan Hirschbein.
In Road to Paloma, Momoa plays Wolf, a Native American hellbent on revenge following the murder of his mother. The movie also stars Moma’s wife Lisa Bonet who plays Momoa’s love interest in the movie.
Aquaman, 65%
It is possible that other actors were considered to play this trident-wielding DC character, but in the end, Momoa proved to be the best man for the job. After all, when it comes to DC actors, he’s among those who seem to possess super-strength in real life.
Prior to the release of this 2018 movie, Momoa was already introduced as Aquaman in the 2017 DC film Justice League. And while the ensemble superhero movie flopped, confidence remained that Momoa’s standalone movie would not suffer the same fate. Aquaman went on to earn over $1 billion at the box office.
The Red Road, 67%
The Red Road is a tv series that briefly ran from 2014 to 2015 on Sundance TV. Set in a small New Jersey town, it stars Momoa as a Native American tribe member who strikes an uneasy alliance with a copy following a tragedy.
While discussing the show, Momoa revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that taking on the role was the “most challenging thing I’ve ever done.” He later added, “I don't have a lot of stuff that demonstrates the things I do on the show.” Aside from Momoa, The Red Road also stars Virgin River star Martin Henderson.
Frontier, 75%
Set in the 1700s, this Netflix series stars Momoa as Declan Harp, a native Canadian outlaw determined to get a piece of the fur trade industry that the Hudson’s Bay Company monopolized.
From the beginning, Momoa was convinced he should play Declan. “I have a true affinity for that period,” the actor explained while speaking with Men’s Journal. “It really felt like the role was written for me.” And to help build a case for himself, Momoa decided to invite the show’s producers to his home. “I think they were a little taken aback when I showed them my tomahawk.”
Braven, 77%
The 2018 movie stars Momoa as a logger who is forced to defend his family when they cross paths with a group of dangerous drug dealers.
For this role, the actor had to undergo some specific physical training. “Jason’s character is a lumberjack-type, so he relied more on his strength, size, and his knowledge of the territory,” the movie’s stunt coordinator, Rob Alonzo, told Men’s Journal. “Jason trained in boxing, Filipino martial arts, and Silat, which were incorporated into the fights for the action scenes.”
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, 84%
Perhaps, one of the things that fans missed about this animated movie is that Momoa himself came on board to be the voice of his DC character, Aquaman. While speaking with ComicBookMovie.com, the movie’s director, Mike Mitchell, revealed that they thought about bringing Momoa in after he did “such a good job” in the shorts they had made to promote the film at Comic-Con.
In these shorts, Momoa’s Aquaman was featured alongside the original Aquaman. Interestingly, Mitchell also remarked, “I remember we somehow forced him [Momoa] into the film…”
The Simpsons, 85%
Sure, he’s not among the main cast members of this hit adult animated show. Nonetheless, Momoa certainly made a lasting impression on fans when he appeared on The Simpsons as himself.
In the episode entitled The Fat Blue Line, Momoa arrives in town to pay tribute to the figure Saint Castellaneta, a martyred man that is being honored through the gelato dessert spumoni. In the episode, the actor was also asked to sign Selma’s left breast although he denied it. Momoa’s guest appearance was certainly a hit and fans would be happy to see him return to the show.
Game Of Thrones, 89%
Without a doubt, Momoa’s portrayal of Khal Drogo on the hit HBO series is among his strongest performances to date. On the show, he mostly shared scenes with co-star Emilia Clarke who told The Oprah Magazine that Momoa was “kind” and “considerate” when they were filming together.
Oddly enough, Momoa struggled to find work after his character was killed off the show. “I couldn’t get work,” Momoa revealed while speaking with Instyle. “It’s very challenging when you have babies and you’re completely in debt.” Fortunately, Momoa’s luck turned around when he joined the DCEU.