10 Interesting Facts About The Making Of Game Of Thrones
5. Jason Momoa Did The Haka During His Audition
In the opening episode of Season 1, Daenerys Targaryen is married off to Khal Drogo, a mighty Dothraki chieftain with a formidable reputation.
Drogo was played by Jason Momoa, and the famous actor gained the showrunners' attention by performing the Haka as part of his audition. This aggressive dance routine is best known as the pre-match ritual for the New Zealand Rugby team, but it’s also a key part of Māori culture.
This may seem like a strange thing to do for an audition, but it turned out rather well for the actor:
“Then I did the Haka… I couldn’t stop my heart from beating. The first time I did it, they were very scared. But then they wanted me to come back in so they could put it on tape.”
When auditioning for a major role in a television show, it’s important to stand out from the crowd, and sometimes, pulling a stunt like this is the best thing to do.