Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa is an American actor. He played Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe, beginning with the 2016 superhero film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and in the 2017 ensemble Justice League and his 2018 solo film Aquaman. In Baywatch Hawaii, he portrayed Lifeguard Jason Ioane. Take a look below for 25 more fun and interesting facts about Jason Momoa.

1. An only child, Momoa was born in 1979 in Nanakuli, Honolulu, Hawaii, to Coni, a photographer, and Joseph Momoa, a painter.

2. He was raised in Norwalk, Iowa, by his mother.

3. His father is of Native Hawaiian ancestry and his mother is of German, Irish, and Native American descent.

4. After high school, Momoa attended college and initially majored in marine biology before switching to wildlife biology.

5. In 1998, Momoa was discovered by designer Eric Chandler and Takeo Kobayashi, who encouraged his modeling career.

6. At 19 years old, he also worked part-time in a surf shop before being cast in the action drama series Baywatch Hawaii, where he appeared as Jason Ioane (1999–2001).

7. In addition to his appearances in North Shore (2004–2005), Johnson Family Vacation (2004), and Stargate: Atlantis (2005–2009), Momoa was cast as Roman in four episodes of the comedy-drama television series The Game (2009).

8. He portrayed the title protagonist in Conan the Barbarian (2011), a reimagining of the 1982 film of the same name and a role made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

9. Momoa gained his role of Khal Drogo on HBO’s Game of Thrones through his audition, in which he performed a Haka, one of many intimidating Māori dances traditionally used to convey a challenge to an opponent, or a welcome to a visitor.

10. Momoa directed and co-wrote Road to Paloma (2014), an American drama thriller film, together with writers Jonathan Hirschbein and Robert Homer Mollohan.

11. In March 2014, Momoa joined the dark comedy/thriller indie Sugar Mountain alongside Cary Elwes and Haley Webb; its principal photography was done in Alaska.

12. He also starred as Phillip Kopus, a Ramapough Mountain Indian, on the SundanceTV drama series The Red Road (2014–2015).

13. In June 2014, Momoa was reported to have been cast in the role of Aquaman.

14. He first played the role in a cameo in the superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, marking Aquaman’s live action theatrical debut.

15. Momoa played the character in a leading role in the 2017 ensemble film Justice League. He then starred in the Aquaman solo film, which released in late 2018.

16. He also reprised this role in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.

17. In 2014, Momoa portrayed Connor in the Canadian horror action film Wolves, and starred in the sci-fi horror movie Debug.

18. In early 2017, he signed onto the official Just Cause movie series.

19. In July 2018, Momoa was cast for Apple’s upcoming future-based drama series See.

20. In February 2019, Momoa was cast as Duncan Idaho in the upcoming Denis Villeneuve film Dune.

21. Momoa began a relationship with actress Lisa Bonet in 2005 Although it was previously believed that Momoa and Bonet married on November 15, 2007, the couple did not legally marry until October 2017.

22. Through his marriage to Bonet, Momoa became the stepfather to Zoë Kravitz. In July 2007, Bonet gave birth to their first child, a daughter. Their second child, a son, was born in December 2008. Momoa’s mother announced the birth.

23. Momoa learned martial arts for his role as Ronon in Stargate Atlantis and for Conan. In 2017, Momoa started practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

24. He has plenty of body ink. The most notable tattoo is a half-sleeve on his left forearm, which is a tribute to his family god, or “aumakua”.

25. On November 15, 2008, Momoa was slashed in the face with a broken beer glass by a man during an altercation at the Birds Cafe, a tavern in Hollywood, California. He received approximately 140 stitches during reconstructive surgery and the scar is apparent in his later work. The assailant was sentenced to five years in prison for the attack.