Jason Momoa may be known as the fearless king of Atlantis on-screen, but in real life, the ocean once reminded him just how small and vulnerable a human can be. Speaking on the Aug. 11 episode of Smartless, the Aquaman star vividly recalled a terrifying surfing accident in Maui nearly two decades ago — an ordeal so life-changing that it made him quit smoking on the spot.
The 46-year-old actor was taking on one of the most notorious breaks in the world — “Jaws,” a stretch of ocean infamous for its monstrous swells — when disaster struck.
A Broken Leash, Towering Waves, and a Fight to Survive
Momoa explained that he was paddling a grueling 13-to-14 miles offshore with legendary surfers Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton, plus friend Joe Flanigan. About seven miles into the journey, his surfboard leash snapped — leaving him stranded in open water with no board, no immediate rescue, and 10-foot swells pounding him relentlessly.
“This place is called ‘s–tf–ks’ for a reason. There’s all this water pulling you out, and you just get smashed by wave after wave. I was stuck in a crazy spot on the outer reef, and they couldn’t see me.”
“I looked in, and I just lost it. My daughter at that time was 3 months old — and my body stopped; I couldn’t move my arms anymore.”
A Last-Minute Rescue and a Life-Changing Revelation
In one desperate moment, Momoa’s toe brushed against a rocky shelf beneath the water — the outer reef. He clung to it as waves crashed over him, barely able to keep his lips above water long enough to breathe.
“I’d already given up. It felt like dying and getting a second chance. I just reach down, grab it, I jump up, I get hit by another wave and I dig my feet into the coral. I could barely put my lips above just to breathe and get a break.”
Laird Hamilton eventually spotted him and navigated over, bringing him his board. The struggle back to shore was exhausting, but Momoa survived — and emerged a changed man.
“I used to smoke two, three packs a day. Couldn’t stop for my kids, couldn’t stop for my ex. The moment I got out of the water, I never smoked again. I prayed to my grandmother, my grandfather. I was just with my ancestors, paddling the rest of the way in.”
Looking back, Momoa believes he wasn’t alone in the water that day.