Jason Momoa Admits He Struggled to Get Hired After 'Game of Thrones'

Many moviegoers today know Jason Momoa as the larger-than-life actor in hits like Fast X and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While Momoa has become a household name in recent years thanks to his presence in the DC Cinematic Universe, there was a time when he couldn't get work, even after starring in one of the most popular TV shows of the last decade. 

Momoa played Khal Drogo of the Dothraki in the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones. At the time, the show was still in its infancy and was on its way to global recognition. But Momoa's character didn't last past the first season, so he was never associated with the show's eventual success. As a result, he struggled to find his next role. 

"I couldn't get a meeting to save my soul after Game of Thrones," Momoa confessed in a recent interview with Esquire. "It wasn't until the third season came out that the show actually caught on, and people were playing it back and watching three seasons of it when things started to kick off. That's when Zack [Snyder] called." Snyder recruited him to play Aquaman in what would be his breakout role in 2016's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017's Justice League. 

Momoa has previously spoken about just how hard it got in those years after he first appeared on GOT. "We were starving after Game of Thrones," he stated plainly to InStyle in 2020. "I couldn't get work. It's very challenging when you have babies and you're completely in debt."

Clearly, the Aquaman star has come a long way in just a few short years with an estimated net worth of $40 million. As for what's next, maybe there's a role on House of the Dragon for him.