ActorJason Momoamay be one of Hollywood’s leading actors right now, and that is for many good reasons. Momoa has had a string of high-profile movie roles in the past couple of years, ranging from the superhero Aquaman to Denis Villeneuve’s first adaptation of Frank Herbert’sDuneseries. However, he first made his name in theBaywatchseries, then rose to acclaim while appearing inGame of Thronesas Khal Drogo in the first two seasons of the series.
Since those series, Momoa has taken on a wide variety of roles. Whether he has full creative control or he’s simply playing a smaller role in a much bigger story, Momoa has demonstrated a wide variety of roles in his fruitful career so far. But which ones are the best of the best? Or, at the very least, which ones are the most notable? These are Jason Momoa’s best performances so far, ranked.
12Declan Harp in ‘Frontier’ (2016 – 2018)
Jason Momoa’s first-ever lead role in a television series arrived inone of Netflix’s most underrated shows.Frontieroriginally debuted in 2016, taking viewers back to 1700s Canada in the midst of the North American fur trade. Declan Harp, an infamous fur trapper, takes it upon himself to take the fight to the Hudson’s Bay Company, a group that established a firm and brutal monopoly in his homeland. Being a fur trapper, his methods are particularly violent. Alun Armstrong, Landon Liboiron, and Zoe Boyle co-star along with Greg Bryk.
Bringing Ferocity and Determination
Momoa plays the violent lead, Declan Harp, bringing both ferocity and determination to a surprisingly engaging story. In as little as 18 episodes,what you get is an intense and contemplative series whose weight is carried on Momoa’s shoulders. The series, and by extension Momoa, would earn several award nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards, including a Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Drama Role nomination for both Momoa and Landon Liboiron.It’s a series that only got more and more entertaining as it went along, with Momoa’s overall performance sharing this improvement.
11Dante Reyes in ‘Fast X’ (2023)
The latest of theFast and Furiousfilms not only continued the story of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), but it also threw Jason Momoa into the mix. Picking up after the events of the previousFast and Furiousfilms,Fast Xfollows what happens when the grown son of the late Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), Dante Reyes, seeks revenge on Dominic and the gang for his father’s death. Though Dante Reyes is without his family’s fortune, he has ways of hitting Dominic where it really hurts.Michelle Rodriguez, John Cena, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, and Ludacris are just a handful of stars attached to the cast.
Standing Tall as an Antagonist Among an Ensemble Cast
As of writing,Fast Xis one of the most expensive movies ever made — and for good reason.Beyond the surrounding star power here, the involvement of Jason Momoa in the lead villainous role is nothing short of impressive. A purposeful effort to play a character that goes against his typical repertoire, Reyes is deliberately less imposing, with Momoa even opting to perform his own stunts to truly own the character. WhileMomoa’s own feelings about the movie may be mixed, fans agree that his villainous performance is nothing short of a fantastic addition.
Momoa teamed up with the likes of Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, and Sylvester Stallone forBullet to the Head, which was directed by Walter Hill. Kang and Stallone star in the movie as a cop and hitman teaming up to take down a common enemy: a businessman with a shady background. But as the businessman’s assassin (Momoa) starts to plan a counterattack, it becomes a dangerous race against time.
Elevating an Otherwise Middling Action Film
Bullet to the Headwas a massive failure at the box office, noted to be Stallone’s worst opening in decades. But it can still be enjoyed as a throwback to the violentaction films of the 1980s.Momoa does an amicable job as the villainous Keegan, having made his iconic debut inGame of Thronesonly a year prior. He sells the role fairly well, though compared to his other offerings, it’s certainly not his best work. Still, if you can appreciate whatBullet to the Headis going for, you may enjoy what he brings to the table.
9Ronon Dex in ‘Stargate: Atlantis’ (2004 – 2009)
Spinning off from the popularStargate SG‑1,Stargate: Atlantisfollowed a new team, initially led by Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson), who was tasked with journeying into the lost city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy. Jason Momoa would join the cast in the series' second season, as Ronon Dex, a survivor from a harsh planet of warriors. Soon after his introduction, he became a regular member of the Stargate crew, and would become an integral character until the series finale in 2009.
Momoa’s First Trip to Atlantis
Embodying the spirit of a loyal and fierce protector, Momoa’s Ronan Dex soon became a fan favorite. Moreover, Mamoa became a beloved member of the cast, which showed in the camaraderie he shared with fellow actors while filming. While the Haiwaiin actor would come to play the definitive Aquaman, for many fans of the cult sci-fi series, his ties to Atlantis will always be as Ronon Dex.
8Joe Braven in ‘Braven’ (2018)
Bravenwas another movie Momoa produced, originally debuting in theaters in 2018. This action thriller follows Joe Braven (Jason Momoa), a logger living in Canada. A previous injury had left Braven with early-onset dementia, leaving him and his family to discuss their plans for going forward in their remote wilderness cabin. However, a chance encounter with a drug carrier ends up putting everyone in incredible danger.
One of Momoa’s Best Performances in One of His Worst Films
Bravencame equipped with a lackluster script that needed some mending done to make it usable, and, unfortunately, it simply did not deliver up to standard. However, Momoa’s performance inBravenoffers a small thread that acts as a light at the end of the tunnel. In a movie that follows some familiar beats when compared toRio Bravo,Momoa depicts a level of intensity and creativity that you won’t really see in his other roles. It’s this performance, and the film’s plentiful action set-pieces, that’ll carry you to its modest conclusion.
Momoa directed, wrote, and produced the 2014 movieRoad to Paloma, with the film being his feature-length directorial debut. Itis reminiscentof Clint Eastwood’s Westernsin a modern-day setting, except the main character, Wolf, is an Indigenous person forced to flee from the law after he avenges his mother’s murder. He travels the American West on his motorcycle, offering idyllic scenery that evokes old Americana in the Manifest Destiny era.
A Successful Foray Into the World of Westerns
Despite bearing a typical revenge thriller premise,Road to Palomasurprisingly plays its cards close to its chest.It’s as contemplative and quiet as it is dramatic, allowing Momoa to deliver a surprisingly thoughtful performance in the lead role. It’s a somber role for certain, but one that allows you to really soak in Momoa’s subtle character dynamics. At points, you wouldn’t even be able to tell if it was made on a fairly small budget.
6Jason Ioane in ‘Baywatch: Hawaii’ (1989 – 2001)
Momoa initially became known for his role inBaywatch: Hawaii, which is fitting considering he is part Hawaiian. If you’re unaware, this long-running American television series follows a group of lifeguards working on the beaches of California (before shifting to Hawaii for its final two seasons). The series typically revolves around a rotating cast’s bouts of personal drama and professional challenges, famously featuring the likes ofDavid Hasselhoff and Pamela Andersonin its early run.
Showing Talent at a Young Age
Momoa was on the show for two seasons in the role of Jason Ioane, a Texas transplant who has just joined the lifeguard team at Baywatch Hawaii.Momoa was only 19 when he was cast in this role, but it set the tone for the rest of his career as an actor. He hadn’t yet developed his signature look, but he brought enough to the table inBaywatch’s later years to earn a mention here.
5Baba Voss in ‘See’ (2019 – 2022)
Apple TV+’sSeestars Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Hera Hilmar, and Sylvia Hoeks. Released in 2019, it ironically was based on a fictional pandemic that wiped out the majority of humanity. Survivors were left without a dire necessity to function in everyday life: the ability to see had been stripped away from them. When a pair of twins are born with the miraculous ability to see, their existence sparks a post-apocalyptic hunt that pits humanity’s remaining tribes against each other. The series would be one of Apple TV+’s earliest and most prominent original series.
Helping to Lay the Foundation for Apple TV+ Originals
Momoa brought his talents to the table asthe series' lead, Baba Voss, the illustrious leader of the Alkenny Tribe. Marking his second-ever lead television role after starring inFrontier, he brought a level of consistency and growth to the series' three seasons. It’s worth noting that Momoa also played a fantastic older brother to Dave Bautista’s Edo Voss, with the duo eventually butting heads in an incredible fight scene.StreamSeeon Apple TV+.
4Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019)
During his auditionforGame of Thrones, Momoa performed a haka, or a traditional Maori dance, that was often intended to intimidate enemies or greet a guest. That may be why he got the role of Khal Drogo, an accomplished warrior who appeared in the first two seasons ofGame of Thrones. The series is a sprawling dark fantasy that chronicles the warring conflicts in Westeros. As rival kingdoms spill each other’s blood, the advent of a mysterious undead force threatens the continent. Momoa famously co-starred alongside Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys Targaryen.
Brief But Powerful Performance That Rocketed Momoa to Stardom
Is Khal Drogo the best of Momoa’s performances? Maybe not. Yet,it was this role inGame of Thronesthat introduced him to an incredibly wide audience, riding the pop culture waves that this dark fantasy series was making during its earliest years. ThoughGame of Thronesmay have left the pop culture lexicon, Momoa’s stoic performance here would be what eventually opened the door for a plethora of future roles on both the big and small screens.
3Duncan Idaho in ‘Dune’ (2021)
Duneswept up the awards season due to its stunning cinematography and behind-the-scenes effects. However, without its actors,Dunewould simply be a beautiful but barren wasteland. Being the lauded adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sprawling sci-fi novel,this film follows the journey of Paul Atreides as he’s thrown into the middle of a violent power struggle for the planet Arrakis. Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul, co-starring alongside Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and, obviously, Jason Momoa.
A Daunting Force in an Unforgiving Landscape
Momoa’s role is a small but pivotal one;he portrays Duncan Idaho, one of the most feared warriors in the universe.His prowess with weapons is rumored to be unmatched, which makes him a formidable sight on-screen as the drama and real story begin to unfold. He serves as one of Paul’s mentors throughout the early portions of the film before making the ultimate sacrifice to keep Paul alive. It’s an instrumental role, one that elevates the surrounding cast while using Momoa’s intimidating stature to its fullest potential.
