Even Hollywood stars have moments that shake them to their core. Jason Momoa recently shared a frightening experience from 2007 when a simple surfing outing almost turned deadly.
Speaking on the Smartless podcast, the 46-year-old actor revealed how he nearly drowned while paddling off the coast of Maui, Hawaii — an event that still haunts him nearly two decades later.
The Surfing Trip That Turned Dangerous
Momoa explained that he and a group of paddleboarders had set out on a 13-mile journey along Maui’s northern shore, known for its massive waves at the famous surf break, Jaws.
Everything seemed fine at first, thanks to his training, but disaster struck when his leash snapped about seven miles in, leaving him vulnerable amid powerful Hawaiian waves.
“I took quite a few on the head,” he recalled. “They’re pretty big, like 10-foot Hawaiian waves.”
As he struggled to stay afloat, Momoa found himself trapped on what he believes was the outer ridge of a coral reef, completely out of sight of his friends.
Facing Panic and Fear
The actor admitted that panic set in as he realized he was isolated from his group and thought about his three-month-old daughter Lola at the time.
“I just lost it,” Momoa said. “I was like, ‘Oh s***.'” Exhausted from fighting the waves, his arms and legs gave out, and he began to drift helplessly.
It was only when his toe hit the outer reef that he momentarily found some stability.
A Friend’s Intervention and the Fight Back
Just when hope seemed lost, one of his friends spotted him and swam over to help.
Together, they continued paddling, even though the waves remained brutal and they still had seven miles to go.
By then, Momoa’s feet were cut and bleeding from the reef, but he pushed through, drawing strength from a deep, almost ancestral determination.
From Near-Death to Career Heights
Despite the terrifying ordeal, Momoa’s life took a remarkable turn.
He later rose to international stardom as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones and as Aquaman in multiple DC films.
He also appeared in Fast X, the Minecraft Movie, and earned acclaim as Duncan Idaho in Dune: Part One.
He’s set to reprise his role in Dune: Messiah and currently stars in Apple TV+’s Chief of War, playing Hawaiian warrior chief Kaʻiana while also serving as an executive producer.
A Lesson in Resilience
Momoa’s story is a reminder that even near-death experiences can precede extraordinary achievements.
From battling waves off Maui to conquering Hollywood, he continues to show that determination and grit can turn moments of fear into lifelong strength.
