Jason Momoa: ‘It’s scary having kids… knowing what is going to happen to our planet’

Jason Momoa had a recent feature in British GQ’s Hype, which is like their online-only magazine I think. Momoa is single these days, but he doesn’t talk about his divorced life or dating life at all in this piece. He’s too busy talking about work, masculinity and the environment. Momoa was named the UN Environment Programme’s Advocate for Life Below Water, a natural fit for the actor who plays Aquaman. Momoa has always had strong feelings about ocean pollution and plastic in the ocean in particular. Some highlights from GQ Hype:

The world is on fire: “Every day there’s a dumpster fire. Yes we’re trying to go green but what are the batteries doing? What are we doing to indigenous cultures and what does that mean? I’m not just going to blindly do this, there’s got to be proper laws written around these things. I don’t like bitching, I want to do something. But I feel like I don’t have much time.”

Being cast as Aquaman: “When Zack told me he wanted me to play Aquaman, I was like, ‘What? that’s like the farthest thing [from what I thought] I would ever be’. Then he laid it out and I thought, ‘Why can’t it be someone of Polynesian descent?’”

He loves using Aquaman to talk about the oceans: “These superhero movies dominate our market, which I have my own thoughts on because I love cinema, but we try to put out a positive message and go on an adventure. Aquaman is the most made-fun-of superhero in the world. But it’s amazing to be able to bring awareness of what is happening to our planet. It’s not some story that’s been told over and over, [it’s a] movie about what’s happening right now but in a fantasy world.”

Talking to his kids about the environment: “It made me feel extremely proud seeing them speak for themselves and take this heavy moment in. I’m not as young as I used to be. It’s scary having kids and knowing what is going to happen to our planet if we don’t change sh-t now.”

He wants more control over his films: “I’ve been a part of a lot of things that really sucked, and movies where it’s out of your hands. Conan [the Barbarian] was one of them. It’s one of the best experiences I had and it [was] taken over and turned into a big pile of sh-t.”

Challenge the idea of masculinity. “It’s been hard because people always think I’m just this dude who plays [macho characters]. But I want to be moved, I want something new. Things are changing, and even the villain roles I’m playing now are eccentric.” In the tenth Fast and Furious film, Momoa plays a villain whose toenails are painted purple and pink, with a lavender car to match, and who enjoys laughing maniacally as he blows up co-star Ludacris’s car. “I’m a peacock at the highest level and I’m having the time of my life.”

[From GQ Hype]

Is it just me or is Jason Momoa feeling his age? He mentions variations on “I feel like I don’t have much time” a few times. Part of that is just getting older (he’s 43) and part of it feels…ominous. But I agree with him, the world is on fire. I’ve always appreciated the fact that he talks a lot about the oceans and ocean pollution, and Aquaman gives him a great platform for that. I’m not sure it’s some big challenge to masculinity norms to see Momoa wearing nail polish and blowing up cars, but sure! It’s better than being a toxic mess, I guess.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid. Cover courtesy of British GQ.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

18 Responses to “Jason Momoa: ‘It’s scary having kids… knowing what is going to happen to our planet’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Seraphina says:

    After I had my kids, I remember being a rage of hormones and emotions – and well as a wide range of emotions. I lamented having brought them into this world filled with problems and they had no choice and would have to struggle through it to survive. Maybe innately we parents know how messed up this whole world is (people too) and so we try to help our kids by providing them with skills to be successful. And that covers a lot of ground.
    I get what he’s saying in that regard.
    And yes, our oceans are a dumping ground of trash and plastics. I’ve been to Mexico and Europe and so many beaches with cigarette butts and trash – like it’s a trash bin. We humans truly are a virus to our earth.

    • NotSoSocialB says:

      I was thinking about this recently and came to the conclusion that we are the parasites of this planet, sucking the life out of our host.

      My 24 year old daughter said she doesn’t want to have children and I support that because of how we have fkd up our world, not to mention the risks of pregnancy that NO ONE tells you about, and we talked about that, too. I want her to know, but not feel like I regret having my kids.

      • Seraphina says:

        Yes, I know exactly what you mean. And you used the word I could not think of this morning – parasite. We are the parasite.

  2. Anita says:

    Well, the world is on fire. There are things that our children will not be able to experience because of the destruction and overpopulation. It’s difficult not to get jaded or depressed if you think about it (too) much.

  3. Lolo86lf says:

    I am 54 years old and I don’t have kids. Some people tried to shame me for not having descendants but you know what; I am glad I did not have kids because this world is indeed on fire in so many levels and I tremble when I think of what is going to happen to humanity in the next few hundred years. I will die knowing that no blood of mine will have to suffer through the end of the world as we know it.

    • Desdemona says:

      I’m not a mother ( my choice)… No regrets… No one ever tried to shame me. But I’m a highschool teacher and I looke at my students and realize their future is at risk. Hope I’m mistaken but they are going to have a really hard life…
      I teach a subject called citizenship and development. We’re planning a yearly project that puts together the themes “Health”, “Sustainability” and “Defence, Safety and Peace” (my students and I). Today I spoke briefly about sustainable agriculture, peace and the access to food and water, safety in food production without the destruction of the environment. It was just a glimpse. I want them to reasearch and do a project on all of it.. Let’s see how it comes out… But I want to make them think.. One told me that when he has trash (a papertissue or something) he carries it until he sees a bin… That gives me hope for them…

    • amilu says:

      I turn 44 next week, and I’ve never wanted children and thankfully never had them. No regrets. The state of the world just solidifies the choice my partner and I made. I feel so sorry for these kids and this planet.

    • Tracy says:

      As a woman of 51 Im not paying much attention anymore. I do what i can, eat clean, stay clean, rubbish in bin and recycle as much as i possibly can. I dont spent money on useless things. In 2017 my daughter 9 back then said, “mum dont listen to whats happening on tv, its not happening on our Earth.” We create our own reality. Learn to be a Nomad and then speak about the future, youll see differently i swear 🥰🥰🥰🙏 The kids have got this i swear 💞💞💞

  4. MangoAngelesque says:

    I can’t help it, I love him. He’s like the teenage-dirtbag thing all grown up, but with a huge heart.

    • Noo says:

      Yes, and he is also 43 and still uses “gypsy” in his production company name when he is not a Roma person. He has access to a lot of advisory help and he should know better and do better.

      • Theresa says:

        He has not appropriated anyone’s culture…do the research…they are called sea gypsies. The Moken tribe are gypsy.

      • Noo says:

        @theresa so Jason Momoa is Austronesian, not Polynesian/Hawaiian as is normally quoted?

        Also “sea gypsy” sounds like a name made up by white people.

    • Poppy says:

      He’s beautiful and seems kind and thoughtful. He and Lisa Bonet were the best couple ever. I’m so sad they didn’t last.

      • Noo says:

        Yeah I guess since he’s hot and seems nice no one cares about his cultural appropriation. I’m also in the no kids club, and for any of the children/youth in my life I care not just about the temperature of the world in the future but that there’s greater social equity and less oppression of people. Calling your business “pride of gypsies” isn’t helpful.

  5. Gil says:

    This weekend I was talking with a friend about this. We are in our early thirties and decided not to have children. We were wondering about what king of living the kids born today are going to experience. Underground because the surface it is too hot for human survival? It’s gonna be like the water world movie? We both feel like whatever about our future because we didn’t birth anyone. I just could not imagine knowing how daring the future is gonna be and even so decide to have kids.

    • Kathryn says:

      I’m 30, all of my friends are about 28-34 and none of want to have kids for that reason . Climate change is going to be horrific for us in 10-20 years, let alone for kids it’s so depressing to think about

  6. Twin Falls says:

    The future looks rather bleak and on a course that can’t be turned.

    I’ve done nothing but watch hurricane footage for two days. That storm was a monster and I believe the scientists who say it wasn’t an anomaly but what we should expect more regularly.

  7. Mrs. K says:

    I am childfree by choice and this was the right decision for me. When I see where this world Is heading, I am glad that I am responsible only for me – climate changes, recession, possibility of nuclear war…