Jason Momoa has been acting since 1999 when he first donned those iconic red swim trunks on TV’s Baywatch: Hawaii as a beardless 19-year-old. It took a lot of roles before the Hawaiian-born Aquaman actor got his big break as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones. While he’s often typecast as something of a brute, the actor best known for maiming folks with his sword is ready for his comedic debut in Netflix’s fantastical family-friendly film, Slumberland.

So it’s the perfect time to look back at a TV and movie career that’s benefited just as much from Momoa’s offscreen charm as it has from his considerable time in the gym. Momoa’s most admirable use of his fame just might be the way he uplifts and inspires indigenous communities across the world. Momoa gives viewers an awful lot to love about his characters, even when...