Nearly a year after the show was first announced, Jason Momoa has emotional praise for his upcoming Apple TV+ series, Chief of War. While Momoa is best known for his roles in such blockbuster films as Aquaman and Dune, he has also dabbled in the small screen. Two of his earliest major roles were lead turns in the TV shows North Shore and Stargate Atlantis. Recently, he headed Apple TV’s See and will soon be starring in another show for the streamer, Chief of War.
In an interview with Men’s Health, Momoa hyped up his role in the upcoming Chief of War series. He referred to the role as his “Holy Grail“, expressing that it fulfilled his biggest dream as an actor. The reason the project is so special to him is that it is a historical drama following the true story of war chieftain Ka’iana. Momoa was born in Hawaii and his father is of Native Hawaiian ancestry, meaning Chief of War is an opportunity for him to tell the story of his people. Check out his statement below:
[It’s my] holy grail, my baby, and my dream. It’s like my Braveheart or Dances with Wolves. I never thought it would be this big. It’s the hardest, most challenging, most demanding thing I’ve ever done. It’s the last big dream I have left. Everything else is just kind of ‘actor for hire,’ but this is my homage to my people. We have so many beautiful stories in Hawaii that no one knows about. All I care about is just doing right by my people. [The show is] for Indigenous kids growing up, understanding that we were warriors and what we come from and understanding there was a language that was stripped from us. Like most Indigenous tribes, everything’s taken from us. It’s like rebuilding and building these bridges back.
Everything We Know About Chief of War
Momoa’s excitement for Chief of War is bound to raise anticipation for the series. The original Apple TV series was first announced in April of 2022 when Momoa’s casting in the lead role was simultaneously announced. Not much was known about Momoa’s role originally, but it was later confirmed he would portray Ka’iana. Keawe-Kaʻiana-a-Ahuula, better known as Ka’iana, was a Hawaiian warrior who lived from 1775 to 1795. Ka’iana was one of the first Native Hawaiians to travel to the United States and China and was a significant figure in the history of the unification of Hawaii.
In addition to starring in the series, Momoa is set to write and produce Chief of War, ensuring the project will match his vision of paying tribute to Hawaii’s Indigenous population and history. Meanwhile, The Book of Boba Fett‘s Temuera Morrison has been cast in the series as King Kahekili, a notable warrior chief and the king of Maui. Luciane Buchanan and Kaina Makua will portray Ka’ahumanu and Kamehameham, respectively. Ka’ahumanu was the wife of Kamehameha, who created the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Chief of War will explore Ka’iana’s travels abroad and what he learned about his home island during these travels and explore the unification of Hawaii, in which Kamehameha launched a conquest to bring all of the islands under his rule. Filming took place in Hawaii this past October to December, as well as in New Zealand beginning in January. The series will consist of a total of eight episodes, though a release date has not yet been confirmed.
Source: Men’s Health
