Actor Jason Momoa revealed a frightening near-death experience that made him quit smoking immediately.
Actor Jason Momoa revealed a frightening near-death experience that made him quit smoking immediately.
The star of “Aquaman” shared in an interview on the SmartLess podcast about terrifying moments in the sea that forced him to rethink his unhealthy habit.
Momoa had to fight for his life while surfing with 3 friends in Hawaii; “We paddled 21 kilometers down the coast and you’re nearly a kilometer offshore. We were about eleven kilometers away and my leash broke,” he said.
According to the actor, his board was carried away and he was defenseless against huge waves; “The waves were so big they practically took my shorts off, they were that huge. I stayed there for a while and then I simply couldn’t see anyone coming to get me. And I couldn’t move anymore and my arms and legs gave out,” he recounted.
According to Momoa, at that moment he could only think about his 3-month-old daughter and his ancestors.
“I believe in my ancestors. I prayed to my grandma and grandpa. I was struggling and I was in a bad spot.”
The “Minecraft” actor spent several minutes trying to save himself, holding onto a reef, tired and injured, until one of his friends managed to reach him and help.
Momoa admitted to the podcast hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett that his fear of dying was so great and the shock so intense that he decided to quit smoking right then.
“I smoked about two or three packs a day. I couldn’t quit for my kids, I couldn’t quit for my ex. I couldn’t quit smoking,” he admitted.
“And the moment I got out of the addiction, I never smoked again. Like, I just died. I tried and tried but couldn’t again because I just gave up. Like, I gave up on my life,” he concluded.
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
