Jason Momoa sees Stargate Atlantis as the film that shaped him long before blockbuster fame followed.
The actor, 46, reflected on his early years in a recent interview while promoting his new film The demolition crew. During the During the discussion, he described his experience on the science fiction series Stargate Atlantis as a complete education in acting, action and discipline.
“Stargate Atlantis was like going to college,” Momoa said FilmZine. “It was four years of my life. You make about 22 episodes per season, which takes up about nine months of the year, so you’re fully committed.”
Momoa joined the show in season 2 as Ronon Dex, a physically demanding role that helped prepare him for the action-packed career he later built.
He recalled that each episode took about a week and a half to shoot, requiring him to quickly learn how television sets work quickly.
“You can really see how everything moves,” he said. “It’s happening very quickly.”
Momoa noted that the experience was especially formative when it came to stunts. He said the show’s stunt team helped him develop skills that would later define his film personality.
“That’s where I was really cutting my teeth with action,” he explained. “Our stunt coordinators were incredible. To this day, I still have close ties with a number of stunt performers in Canada.”
In addition to the physical training, Momoa said the show gave him creative freedom and room to make mistakes — something he said is rare when an actor hits big-budget films.
“The weight of responsibility wasn’t as heavy as a big movie,” he said. “We had the freedom to play. It was a beautiful, fundamental time for me to grow and learn.”
He also pointed to the show’s fanbase as an enduring source of support.
“The science fiction community has always rooted for me,” Momoa said. “They love Ronon and they have supported me through everything. I really respect and appreciate them.”
Stargate Atlantis aired for five seasons from 2004 to 2009 and starred Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, Rachel Luttrell, David Hewlett and Rainbow Sun Francks.
Momoa’s breakout role on the series laid the foundation for later projects, including Aquaman, Game of Thrones, and more.
