Who could forget Jason Momoa’s starring role as Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki, and Daenerys Targaryen’s first true love? It turns out, no one.
You would think that any role on Game of Thrones would do nothing except help to launch your career, but Momoa admitted that that role actually had somewhat of the opposite effect.
“I didn’t get much work after that,” he tells U.K. chat show host Graham Norton. “I mean, what do you do with that – he (his character) doesn’t speak English, he’s not funny and he just hurts people. I played that character well so it was a bit challenging afterwards. People would literally say, ‘Wow, you speak English!’”
Khal was a magnificent character, but yes, he did only speak the invented language of an invented nomadic tribe.
That combined with Momoa’s Hawaiian heritage and the prejudice assumptions of Hollywood casting directors, left the Game of Thrones star literally struggling to get work after his character was killed off at the end of season one.
(A GoT death that we are still heartbroken over)
Jason Momoa actually admitted that the role drought he experienced after the show left him in a tight position money-wise.
“2013 and I was literally broke – but the future would be bright!” He told Graham Norton. “I couldn’t say anything to anyone for years and I can’t keep a secret to save my life. It was very hard for me so, I am glad we are now here.”
Thankfully the ‘does he even speak English’ curse has finally lifted and Jason Momoa is now the star of D.C’s superhero blockbuster, Aquaman. Praise the universe for putting this beautiful man back on the big screen.