Jason Momoa Reveals He Cried Watching Son Act in ‘Dune: Part Three’

Jason Momoa says his son Nakoa-Wolf brought him to tears while filming the highly anticipated “Dune: Part Three.”

The actor opened up on the Aug. 11 episode of the “SmartLess” podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, about watching his 16-year-old son step into the spotlight.

Jason Momoa Gets Emotional Over His Son’s Acting Debut

“I’m doing f—— Dune with my son right now,” Momoa said. “His first goddamn scene, I’m sitting there, s——- my pants. He’s with Zendaya. He’s in it. And I’m like, ‘My baby, 16 years old.’ And he just killed it. I’m just crying. I was a f—— wreck. I was so proud of him.”

Nakoa-Wolf, who goes by Wolf, has been cast as Leto II Atreides, the son of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya). The character plays a central role in the next chapter of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi saga.

Deadline first reported the news in June, but Momoa revealed that Wolf had little professional training before the audition. According to Momoa via People, he and his son submitted a self-tape to producer Cale Boyter, which ultimately led to Wolf landing the role.

A Family Connection to ‘Dune’

Momoa, who shares Wolf and 18-year-old daughter Lola with ex-wife Lisa Bonet, previously starred as Duncan Idaho in “Dune: Part One.” His character was killed off in that film and did not appear in 2024’s “Dune: Part Two.”

Still, the franchise remains close to Momoa’s heart — especially now that his son is part of it.

Momoa described how quickly life shifted once Wolf booked the role. “The premiere of ‘Chief of War,’ we flew to Hawaii, we did the premiere I think [July 18th,] we got on a plane that night. We landed on the 19th. My daughter’s 18th was the 20th. We flew out the 21st. We landed in Budapest on the 22nd. He went to work on the 23rd.”

Though Wolf has practiced martial arts for much of his life and acted in school plays, this marks his first major on-screen role. “I just didn’t want him to do it, but he’s … so good,” Momoa admitted. “You want your kids to just be better than you. I’m like, this motherf—– gonna be, like, he’s gonna blow me away. He’s so goddamn present.”

Respect for His Father’s Work

Momoa also shared how the experience gave his son new perspective. “He was like, ‘It’s so hard, Papa. I have so much respect for you now,’” Momoa recalled on “SmartLess.”

The actor praised director Denis Villeneuve for supporting his son’s performance. “I’m just there and I’m watching him, and [Dune director Denis Villeneuve], who I f—— love dearly, he loves Wolf, and he’s just doing a great job. It’s the craziest feeling.”

“Dune: Part Three,” based on Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel “Dune: Messiah,” is scheduled to arrive in theaters Dec. 18, 2026.

The post Jason Momoa Reveals He Cried Watching Son Act in ‘Dune: Part Three’ appeared first on EntertainmentNow.