Latest news with #Tuhaka
Daily Mirror
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jason Momoa's Chief of War crew 'blessed' by volcano erupting for first time in decades
A volcano erupted for the first time in over three decades while Apple TV's Chief of War was filming in Hawaii Te Kohe Tuhaka, star of Chief of War, has shared a remarkable moment of natural beauty that occurred during the filming of Apple TV+'s highly praised new historical drama. The series, which stars, is co-written and executive produced by Jason Momoa, sees the Game of Thrones actor take on the role of real-life Hawaiian warrior Ka'iana during the turbulent turn of the 19th Century. The show delves into Pacific Island history in an unprecedented way, featuring a predominantly Polynesian cast who shot most of their scenes in New Zealand. However, some key moments were filmed in Hawaii itself, including an ambitious sequence set against the backdrop of Kalapana's lava fields. In an extraordinary coincidence, the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in three decades while filming was ongoing, and ceased just as the cast wrapped up their final scenes, reports the Express. Momoa described the awe-inspiring moment in an interview with Entertainment Weekly: "You can't write that s***. "You're obviously stirring up a lot of spirits and mana. It was unbelievable, but there was a really positive energy." Express Online recently had the opportunity to speak with Momoa's co-star Tuhaka, who plays Ka'iana's brother Namakeʻ, about the ambitious production of Chief of War. "We arrived, our first day of the shoot, the volcano goes off," the New Zealand actor remembered. "And then, when we wrapped, as soon as our last day there, wrap was called, boom. It stopped. "It was intense and beautiful at the same time, and pretty overwhelming. Especially when we were setting up shots with lots of warriors and extras going on, fight extras." Teasing that viewers will witness the spectacle themselves during the episode, he continued: "You can see the glow from the volcano. "It was a beautiful thing to be a part of, and culturally I was just like, 'Whoa, that is a sign'." Momoa, Tuhaka and the programme's entire cast all appeared to interpret the unexpected eruption as a positive omen that Chief of War is honouring Hawaii's rich history and culture properly. "Because of the way I love my culture I read into those things quite a lot," Tuhaka reveals. "Personally, from my perspective, I went, 'Oh, that is a beautiful sign, a beautiful Hawaiian sign that this is something that is waking up the land in some way'." Regarding the actual content of the scene, the actor is remaining tight-lipped about spoilers. Nevertheless, he did reveal there'll be an exciting action sequence in the series finale that's absolutely worth waiting for. "Without giving too much away, there is a scene in [episode] nine... that's all I can really say to it," he hinted. "But it was physically demanding, it required an intense focus which I haven't had to lean into before and it caps everything off really, really nicely. Ep nine, epic scene. So, keep watching."
Daily Mirror
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jason Momoa's co-star spills on 'unique bromance' on the set of his 10-year passion project
Chief of War has finally premiered on Apple TV+ after taking a decade to bring the epic historical series to the screen and it seems Jason Momoa has developed a close friendship with one of his co-stars Jason Momoa, the star of the new epic historical drama Chief of War, has struck up a close friendship with one of the show's emerging talents amidst the stunning Hawaiian backdrop. The much-awaited Apple TV+ series made its debut this Friday (1st August), a decade after Momoa first dreamt up the passion project. Set against the tumultuous life of the legendary warrior Ka'iana, Chief of War takes viewers back to the dawn of the 19th Century as Hawaii and the Pacific Islands grapple with Western intrusion and fierce internal conflicts. Te Kohe Tuhaka, a rising star from New Zealand, steps into the role of Namakeʻ, Ka'iana's brother and a key figure in the unification struggle that paved the way for Kamehameha I's (portrayed by Kaina Makua) rule over the Kingdom of Hawaii. In an interview with Express Online, Tuhaka praised the series as "brutal" and "beautiful", expressing his hope that it will inspire "indigenous superheroes" among young Hawaiians, reports the Express. He also opened up about the strong camaraderie he formed with Game of Thrones and Aquaman heavyweight Momoa, alongside fellow actors Makua, Siua Ikaleo (Nahiʻ), and Brandon Finn (Prince Kūpule), fostered through their on-screen portrayal as brothers-in-arms. Tuhaka fondly recalled, "These four hammers, I called them, we were all pretty close," adding, "One [memory] I probably can't tell you, but we did manage to have a good time. We trained together a lot, we were in the gym a lot together. There was lots of laughing." During the chilly filming conditions, Tuhaka admitted: "Because it was so cold [during filming], I struggled a lot to feel Hawaiian in the middle of winter, but those three men, I would just pull them into me and I'd go 'I just need to feel your warmth and understanding so I can feel Hawaiian again'. "The close-knit nature of the cast was very evident." Tuhaka praised Momoa as a "great leader" on set, highlighting his roles not only as the leading actor but also as an executive producer and co-writer alongside Thomas Pa'a Sibbett. "I have a real bromance with Jason," he confessed. "We're pretty tight. "And our friendship is pretty unique. But, I would say, as a craftsperson, as a producer, as a writer, as a director, he really went above and beyond to make sure one, we all felt safe and heard. "And second to that allowed us the space, time and energy to deliver the performances without, kind of, putting any restraints on us." Having appeared in films like The Dead Lands and Love and Monsters, Tuhaka's career is set to soar after working with a Hollywood heavyweight like Momoa. Momoa ensured Tuhaka had every chance to excel, especially during the many "firsts" experienced on set. "I have a background in doing my own stunts, and Jason has the same thing but his version of that is, like, 1000 times bigger," Tuhaka remarked. "So, to be taken aside by him to best understand the lines to run, the movement of the weapon, that guidance so the level of the stunts and the fights are matching... "We do have a few fights together where we're fighting as a duo. That, to me, was an eye-opening educational process as an actor. It was amazing." Keep your eyes peeled for a mix of bromance, romance, and thrilling action sequences as this enthralling historical drama gears up to drop new episodes weekly.
