Ive got two buddies who are onTrue Blood, and I said, I gotta get on HBO.
My dreams have come true.
I read the book.
I had two days and I was hooked.
Theres such richness to these characters.
Some of the stuff I say, Ive never heard said on TV or in the movies.
So, to top it off with this amazing language that theyve created-
Was it difficult to learn?
It was, but it was an honour.
I dont think Ill ever get to play a character like that ever again.
Its just fantastic to submerge yourself in this foreign language.
I cant speak any other languages, its English and Dothraki now, but it was a trip.
Even the script supervisor, shes like, Youre lost.
Youre on your own.
This is my hardest and greatest work to date.
further reading: Game of Thrones Season 8 Everything We Know
Your characters quite brutal towards his new wife.
Didnt that put you off playing him?
How do you train?
You just have to disconnect, and its brutal.
I love Emilia [Clarke].
Shes like a little sister.
Its not like when youre doing stunts, where youre just playing.
But then they fall in love.
Its this huge, beautiful arc youre going to watch.
Were you approached forGame Of Thrones, or did you audition?
It took, like, seven months.
It went on forever.
Do you know what that is?
Its a war chant.
What it would be like if he was commanding his officers, or what hed be like in battle?
I wanted to represent that, and channel a little bit of my ancestry and heritage.
Youre going to feel some energy coming at you.
These two little white women were like, Holy shit.
People were coming out of their doors and wondering what was going on.
It really sealed the deal.
And it got meConan.
Its a great way to start an audition.
My heart was racing, and Im sure theirs were too.
Were there a lot of stunts?
There was like one major scene we put into it that isnt in the book.
I went up to [writer and creator] David Benioff, and said, Im Conan.
Ive just done seventeen goddamn battles.
You should probably have something that shows hes this amazing warlord.
He should have a little bit of a fight.
I watch action movies, and you dont remember when Jason Statham does a kick or punch.
Its character trait stuff you remember.
Say, for instance, Indiana Jones, the guy with the sword.
Indiana Jones shoots him, you remember that in the movie.
The Joker inThe Dark Knight, where he says, Do you want to see a magic trick?
Its certain punches you remember.
I wanted to do something like that with Drogo.
He never uses a weapon, he really gets in close.
Hes such a badass.
Its like coming up against a silver back bear.
You dont look him in the eye.
I wanted him to be that intimidating.
I want to have that sense of, like, Oh man, Im fucked.
So, I had my dream come true.
I said, We dont have to make a tongue.
I can just hold a chicken breast covered in blood or something like that.
They made a full throat with a tongue.
They made that come true for me.
It was great to be part of all those great artists and writers.
You could be free to create the character you wanted.
further reading: Game of Thrones Season 8 Predictions and Theories
You tend to get these tough guy roles.
Im not that way, which is funny.
Im a big wuss, and not the king in the least.mM wife is.
But obviously I look that way, so…
Do you fancy doing a nice little rom-com?
Im funny as fuck, you know?
But I really love- Drogos amazing.
Theres no one like him on TV.
And Conan, hes the same, but not.
Hes a king, but not.
I created both in two different ways.
I dont want to be like Spider-man or Batman, the do-gooder kind of thing.
Im this drinking, fucking, eating machine.
This pirate, thief, all these great things that I love.
He doesnt save the damsel in distress, he fucks the damsel in distress.
After he takes over a kingdom, he slays some snakes.
The stories that Robert E Howard makes, its so fun being this anti-hero.
Because he is an anti-hero, but hes in these circumstances that make him a hero.
His lifes always on the line.
So, you like playing bad guys.
I like playing the bad good guy.
Im lucky to be playing this bad character that you love.
I love Clint Eastwood.
Im so not like that.
Im so chatty and nervy.
Im not the strong silent key in.
Not once you get to know me, at least.
What was it like to play Conan?
Ive never been the lead of anything.
Having to work out that much, staying in shape.
Like, six, seven hours training a day.
And youre eating boiled chicken breast, which sounds good, but its not.
Its like wet cardboard.
You eat wet cardboard every two hours.
I put a lot of work into it.
I got to see a rough cut, and people are going to be stoked.
Were not remaking anything Arnold did.
Its a totally new story.
The same legendary character.
Theres obviously a lot of scope in Howards stories.
Is it something youve talked about, returning to that role?
Absolutely, trying to honour the Robert E Howard fans.
Thats what I love.
One of the biggest things for me was seeing the Frank Frazetta paintings.
My parents were both painters, and seeing Frazetta have you seen them?
Of Conan standing on the pile of skulls?
Those paintings are phenomenal.
So, therell definitely be sequels?
There are sequels to everything.
Theres aFast & Furiousseven, isnt there?
Theres like fourPirates Of The Caribbean.
Theres sequels for everything.
Are you prepared for the fanbase to explode when this film comes out?
Theres a lot more we can do now, dude.
Some people will be like, Oh, its not Arnold.
Well, no shit, Sherlock.
I didnt plan on being like Arnold.
I dont care if he gives me his blessing.
I respect him, and love watching all his movies.
I love watching everything from that toKindergarten Cop.
Its a great career.
Hes one of a kind.
Id never put myself in his shoes.
So, I think he may like it, he may not.
Its not like Ill quit acting if he doesnt like it.
Do you think you could beat him in a fight?
No, Im sure hell kick my ass.
I think thatd be funny.
Did you have any injuries while doing these roles?
Yeah, Ive got a few marks.
But its character building.
Chicks dig scars, right?
Were you an expert horse rider before?
I fuckin hate horses.
[laughs]
You chose a bad genre.
[laughs] What?
You watchConan, and think, Wow, he looks amazing on a horse.
But inwardly, Im shitting my pants.
Thats me acting like I know what Im doing.
I hated every moment.
I cant stand that horse.
Having said that, onGame Of Thrones, I loved those horses.
…Im definitely gonna get a new horse.
Theres no, like, We want this one because its pretty and big.
Ill be, like, Nah.
Im gonna find one thats not dumb, and not gonna attempt to kill me.
You got thrown off a lot?
Im sliding on the grass.
The first time I got on the horse inConan, I got on the horse and couldnt stop him.
Im going like, mach one on this horse, and he wouldnt stop.
I broke my ribs before I even started.
I got bucked off.
Not a good start to a movie.
How did working onGame Of Thronescompare toStargate?
Well, there were no horses and I got to wear clothes, for one thing.
[laughs] I lovedStargate.
I had such a great time and it was such a great training ground.
You do a movie, you meet everyone, you go from place to place.
Its like joining a circus.
Being on a show for four years, you know everyone.
You know the grips.
You feel safe and comfortable.
you’ve got the option to play with your character a lot.
It evolves over a long period of time.
It was a great training ground that set me up for Drogo andConan.
Its worked out that Im in these genres and I dont mind it.
Not at all, which is weird.
I like to read.
I dont have a TV.
I dont have email.
I dont have a phone.
I read books, I take care of my children, I play guitar.
I love Japanese haiku poetry.
I love Charles Baudelaire, biographies, whatever catches my fancy.
Maybe I am a barbarian!
Jason Momoa, thank you very much.
Game Of Thrones makes its UK premiere on the 18th April on Sky Atlantic.
Conan The Barbarian is out in cinemas on 19th August.
