"You're never acting" - Jason Momoa reveals he was shocked upon seeing his son's debut on Dune 3

Jason Momoa has enjoyed success in multiple roles, including the noteworthy role of Aquaman and playing a supporting role in Dune, dominating every movie in which he has appeared on screen. So, when Nakoa-Wolf Momoa stepped on stage in Dune: Part Three at age 16, it was no surprise his father was overcome with tears. Fighting back his tears, Jason told the Smartless podcast-

"I was a mess, man. I was speechless,"

Jason was watching his son make his acting debut. This is a father's pride, a son's courage, and a Hollywood legacy in the making in the sands of Arrakis. Jason Momoa has never pushed his children into acting. In an interview, he shared,  “You’re never acting,” he’d tell Nakoa-Wolf, his teenage son, with a grin that masked a father’s caution.

The Dune star, who clawed his way from Baywatch to blockbuster fame, knew the industry’s toll. “It’s not just glitz—it’s f—king gruelling,” he said, recalling his days sweating in a 40-pound costume under Budapest’s summer heat. Yet, Nakoa-Wolf, at just 16, didn’t just follow his father’s footsteps—he sprinted into the spotlight.

A new generation for Dune: 3

Dune: Part Three hits theatres on December 18, 2026, and Nakoa-Wolf will be playing Leto II Atreides, the son of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya), in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's sequel Dune Messiah. This is not a cameo; Leto II is an integral piece of the thematic puzzle of power and betrayal, and - similar to Frank Herbert's original series - ultimately destiny on the desert planet Arrakis. Casting wasn’t a favour, Momoa insists. Producer Cale Boyter, struck by Nakoa-Wolf’s presence during a set visit, declared, “That kid’s got it!”. After a rigorous audition, Nakoa-Wolf landed among Dune’s A-list ensemble.

Filming in Budapest in July 2025, Momoa watched his son’s first scene opposite Zendaya. “I’m sitting there, heart pounding, thinking, ‘Don’t f—k this up, kid,’”  laughing through misty eyes. Nakoa-Wolf, trained in martial arts since childhood, brought a raw, physical intensity to Leto II. Momoa recalls that when the director called “cut,” the crew erupted. Nakoa-Wolf turned to his dad and said,

“Pop, I get it now. This is hard, and I respect you so much.”

Momoa, usually unflappable, admitted that his son is a pro!

The Dune franchise, a cultural juggernaut, has raked in over $1.2 billion globally across its first two films, with Dune: Part Two earning $711 million alone, per Box Office Mojo. The third chapter, now in production, promises to deepen the saga’s mythic scope, with Momoa reprising his role as a cloned Duncan Idaho and new talents like Ida Brooke as Ghanima, Leto II’s twin. Nakoa-Wolf’s debut adds a personal layer to the story’s themes of lineage. “He’s carrying our family into this world,” Momoa said at the Chief of War premiere in Hawaii. “I’m already jealous—he’s gonna outdo me.”

Jason Momoa - A proud Dad moment 

Momoa’s pride is tempered with realism. He confessed how Hollywood’s a beast and said he didn't hand out the opportunity to his son on a silver platter, but he earned it for himself. At 16, Nakoa-Wolf faced Villeneuve’s exacting direction, holding his own in a scene with Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan. Villeneuve lauded his "natural gravitas," and told

"He is not just Jason's boy, he is a presence."

Momoa, who was 19 when he began Baywatch, was impressed with his son's confidence and said he wasn't even that focused at that age. Raised by Momoa and ex-wife Lisa Bonet, Nakoa-Wolf carries a quiet confidence shaped by a bohemian upbringing in Topanga, California. “We taught our kids to be fearless but grounded,” Momoa said on The Drew Barrymore Show. Off-set, their bond is pure father-son chaos. At the Chief of War premiere, Nakoa-Wolf’s loud antics prompted Momoa to playfully shoo him off the carpet. “He’s got my wild energy,” Momoa laughed, adding, “but he’s got Lisa’s heart.”

A Star rises in the desert/ set of Dune 3:

The Dune set became a classroom for Nakoa-Wolf. Between takes, he soaked up advice from Chalamet, who called him “a quick study,” and Zendaya, who dubbed him the little brother they didn’t know they needed. Momoa, watching from the sidelines, saw his son transform. He said-

“He’s not just acting—he’s living it,”

As Dune: Part Three wraps principal photography, buzz around Nakoa-Wolf grows. Will he become the next big thing? Momoa, ever the protective dad, hopes for balance. Jason Momoa said that he wants his kid to soar high, but still be his child always, and said that Nakoa-Wolf is already a better man than he is. 

On Arrakis, a new Atreides rises—and in Hollywood, a father’s heart beats louder than ever.