Jason Momoa is one of Hollywood’s most ridiculously handsome actors — but while growing up, it turns out he had a different career in mind when he was a little kid.
The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star hit the iconic Saturday Night Live stage over the weekend for his second time as host, and he shared a little bit of insight into his childhood.
“I love playing Aquaman, because I love the ocean! It’s true. Growing up, all I wanted to be was a marine biologist, which makes sense because I’m built like a scientist,” Momoa joked. “The problem was, even though I was born in Hawaii, I grew up in Iowa — which is not really known for their oceans.
“Then, one day, I was watching this movie called In God’s Hands, which was shot in Hawaii, and I saw my cousin… towing into these gigantic 50-foot waves, and I was like, ‘What the hell am I still doing in Iowa?!'”
So, Momoa explained that he want back to Hawaii “to surf with my family,” which is when he caught the attention of casting directors and he “ended up getting on a TV show called Baywatch — I call it the ‘B-Word.'”
The actor explained that he feels as if his life “has come full circle” now, as he does a lot of work to preserve the oceans and the marine creatures that call them home.
It was a sweet, wholesome, understated monologue that successfully banked on Momoa’s natural charm and charisma, as fans had no shortage of love for the star’s playful energy.
Momoa’s SNL gig comes one week after his Dune co-star, Timothée Chalamet, hit the storied stage. Last week, the Wonka star served as host after SAG-AFTRA tentatively approved a deal with the AMPTP, ending the actors’ strike.
“Now the strike is over, and it’s like we’re all returning to this magical world,” Chalamet said as he introduced a “Pure Imagination” parody.
“Come with me, and you’ll be, in a world of shameless self-promotion,” he crooned, as the audience cheered.
Saturday Night Live airs live, coast-to-coast, at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
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