Jason Momoa knows how to make an entrance. The striking and strapping star of “Aquaman” attended a press conference Saturday morning at the Four Seasons hotel, along with cast members Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard and director James Wan, and created a sensational impression.
The ballroom where the press event was held featured life-size costumed characters from the film and displays of impressive weaponry under glass cases. In the center of the room was a realistic replica of Momoa as Aquaman, with muscles bulging and tattoos encrusted all over his naked chest and back. As he walked into the room — proceeded by a procession of a dozen models dressed as characters from the film — Momoa flexed his muscles and posed next to his Aquaman recreation. He’s even more impressive in person than the Aquaman statue.
Momoa does the best he can to disguise it, but he’s a very handsome man. Up to now he’s best know for monosyllabic roles in action roles, like his stint as Drogo in “Game of Thrones,” and starring roles in “Conan the Barbarian” and the Netflix series “Frontier.”
Momoa plays his most emotional role to date with “Aquaman.” Director James Wan said the film’s star brought his personality to Aquaman. “And not bringing him to Aquaman, but bringing Aquaman to him. That’s what I loved most about it, is I get to be the one to showcase the other side of Jason Momoa, that not many people have seen, which is a fun side, the funny side of him, and I think after this movie comes out, people are going to see what a potential romantic lead he is as well…”
Momoa interrupted the director and sighed, “I just want to speak English. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
Amber Heard plays Princess Mera, a “bad ass partner” to Aquaman in his battle as the reluctant king of Atlantis. The appeal of the role she said was that Mera “is no damsel in distress.” She trained for the action scenes for five to six months before they even started shooting. As for her full body costume that she looks vacuum packed sealed into, Heard said, “It was the most covered up I’ve ever been. I mean, in that. I was like, are you kidding me? Jason is the one who went topless all the time…. You’re the one who had to like, work your ass off,” referring to all the flesh the actor displays in the film. Heard turned to Momoa sitting on the couch next to her.
Momoa said the first time he put on the Aquaman costume was a “surreal” experience he’s never known before. “The best part of wearing the suit, my personal experience is it’s really beautiful, and I’ve actually never told James this, but I put it on, and I didn’t have a mirror. So, we put it on in my wardrobe, and I get to see his face, and he’s always, he’s extremely passionate, and he let’s you know right away, but like … the absolute joy on his face. He looked like a kid when he beamed. Just like, ‘I did it!’”
And then Momoa said he FaceTimed his kids with wife actress Lisa Bonet. “They were just like, ‘Nice, dad. I guess you’re a big deal!’ Their eyes, their reaction was just like, blown away. So, I mean, that’s my perfect experiences, of putting that (suit) on.”
The final question of the 23-minute press conference was for the director: What is the one thing he hoped comic book fans will take away from the film?
“For me, I’ll just say I want those fans to know that I’m a fan myself, and I really respect the source material, and again, the fact that, for the fans out there that have stood by Aquaman all these years, while people made fun of him, made fun of his comic book, made fun of all the characters in his world, I want them to see that this is finally the opportunity to get revenge and by that I mean, that this movie is made with a lot of love, made with a lot of compassion, passion,” said Wan. “I really love this film, and I love these characters, and the world that these characters reside in, and I really want them to know that I was very respectful to source material, and then on the other side is, I want to introduce all these guys to a whole new generation of kids that never grew up with this character. And so, I want the two separate worlds to come together.”
Photo c2018 Showbiz411 by Paula Schwartz
