Jason Momoa Reveals Bloodline to Legendary Hawaiian Surfer on Theo Von (Video)

“My family is some of the last living legends of surfing,” Momoa said. “My great uncle is Buffalo Keaulana. And Brian Keaulana is my cousin. I just come from a long line of watermen. Beautiful Hawaiian man. I always wanted to be with him.”

Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana is a larger-than-life figure in surfing, the barrel-chested Hawaiian being one of the best ever out at waves like Makaha on Oahu’s west side.

“Commanding Hawaiian surfer from Makaha, Oahu; winner of the 1960 Makaha International, and often referred to as the 'Mayor of Makaha.' Keaulana was born (1935) in Honolulu, and moved with his family to Makaha, on Oahu's west side, at age five. He learned to surf as a child at Waikiki, and made his first board by taking a machete to a blank assembled from glued-together railroad ties,” writes Matt Warshaw in the Encyclopedia of Surfing.

See footage of Buffalo in his prime on the fourth slide below.

And Buffalo’s sons, Brian and Rusty, who are Momoa’s cousins, are certified Hawaiian watermen themselves – from big wave surfing to longboard champions.

Momoa, on the other hand, went a different direction with his life…obviously. But in between being a Hollywood A-lister, he’s dabbled in surfing, even of the big wave variety. On a separate podcast appearance recently – Smartess – the actor talked about a near-death experience while surfing 10-foot Hawaiian Jaws with Laird Hamilton.

“The waves were so big, it took my shorts off they were so f*king big,” he said.

Maybe best to stick to acting.