Momoa’s newest acting job has him play complex man

The last time we saw Jason Momoa, the Hawaii-born actor was a sword-swinging anti-hero in the 2011 feature film "Conan the Barbarian." It was an encore of sorts from a genre that also turned him into Khal Drogo, the brutal horse-riding warlord of HBO’s "Game of Thrones."

Each character was intense, violent and lethal.

But Momoa trumps them both with a new role in the Sundance Channel’s "The Red Road," which premieres at 9 p.m. Thursday. As Philip Kopus, an American Indian who returns to his tribe after six years in prison, Momoa bristles with stony-faced menace.

The six-episode series, created by writer Aaron Guzikowski ("Contraband," "Prisoners"), follows the clash of two communities in New Jersey: the small town of Walpole and the Lenape Tribe that lives nearby. The series plays out through the stories of Momoa’s Kopus and town sheriff Harold Jensen, played by Martin Henderson ("Devil’s Knot," "The Ring" and "Smokin’ Aces.")

Tension erupts after Jensen’s disturbed, alcoholic wife — played by Juli­anne Nicholson ("August: Osage County") — finds herself in the middle of a tragedy that forces the sheriff to break the law.

Momoa was drawn to the part by a compelling script and by complicated characters, he said.

"What I find to be the heart of it is when bad guys do good things and good guys do bad things," Momoa said in a phone call from Squaw Valley, Calif. "There are a lot of gray areas and it keeps you guessing."

Kopus is not all that he seems to be, Momoa said. That was the attraction, of course.

"What I loved about playing Kopus is you think he is a bad guy and you find out why he is the way he is," he said. "And you find out that you might not be that much different."

The part demanded a range of emotions from the 34-year-old Momoa, a former model whose early roles were as a lifeguard in "Baywatch Hawaii," a bartender in "North Shore" and a dreadlocked alien in "Stargate: Atlantis."

"I have never played anyone like Kopus before," Momoa said. "He’s not a good guy. His tribe doesn’t like him. His mom doesn’t like him. Eventually you find out why and it’s kind of fun to play that."

Momoa won’t know until March whether there will be a second season, but he definitely enjoyed the short story arc. A typical network series will hover at 22 episodes — work that lasts from July through April — and a cable series at 13 episodes.

"I feel that when it’s condensed it burns through a lot better," Momoa said. "I’m not saying I wouldn’t do 22 but when you are done after nine or 10 months you just don’t want to do anything. It sucks you dry and burns everyone down. It’s also guaranteed work, which is hard to find in our business."

But coming back for a second season of "The Red Road" would be sweet. And there’s more story to tell.

"Absolutely," he said. "I’m excited to see what happens."

AND that’s a wrap …

Mike Gordon is the Star-Advertiser’s film and television writer. Read his Outtakes Online blog at honolulupulse.com. Reach him at 529-4803 or email mgordon@staradvertiser.com.