Jason Momoa, best known for his rugged, wild-bearded characters, shocked fans by shaving it all off—for the first time in six years.
The reason? A return to the clean-shaven Duncan Idaho in Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve. And, of course, to promote ocean sustainability in true Aquaman fashion.
In a video posted to Instagram, the actor captured his beard shaving moment while speaking passionately about Mananalu, his brand of recyclable aluminum water bottles.
The name “Mananalu” blends two Hawaiian words: “mana,” meaning the sacred spirit of life, and “nalu,” a powerful ocean wave. Through his “Drink One, Remove One” campaign, Momoa channels that energy into action, removing one plastic bottle from the ocean for every aluminum one sold, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Mid-shave, Momoa mused:
“I think it’s been about six years, maybe a little bit more, since I did Dune. What was really special about that is that when…I started launching Mananalu."
"At that time, there wasn’t–I think we were one of the first ones ever to release the aluminum bottle. And now, six years later, airports are banning some of these plastics, all of these positive things are happening.”
In partnership with Boomerang Water, Momoa is now aiming to help eliminate single-use plastics, which make up 75% of ocean pollution—including plastic bags, wrappers, food containers, cutlery, and bottles. Boomerang’s closed-loop refill stations let users top off aluminum bottles and return them to “recovery stands” for reuse, reducing waste at the source.
The refill stations are currently available at select Hawaii hotels, including Romer House Waikiki, Kaimana Beach Hotel, and ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. Aluminum bottles will also be distributed at Kamehameha Schools, with expansion plans across the islands.
In a separate interview with Spectrum News Hawaii, the actor called the partnership a “game changer,” adding:
“I'm just trying to leave a better place for my children. I feel like I have a duty.”
So what did Momoa think of the freshly shaved look? “Goddammit, I hate it,” he grimaced to the camera—before giving director Denis Villeneuve a begrudging pass: “Only for you, Denis.”
You can watch the Instagram video below:
Fans may recall Momoa’s first beard-shaving PSA from 2019, where he walked through a beach littered with plastic waste to raise awareness of plastic pollution ahead of the original Dune film.
While walking through a beach landscape of plastic pollution, the actor said in the video:
“I just want to do this to raise awareness that plastics are killing our planet — and I think I have a solution. I don't want to bitch about it. There's only one thing that can help our planet and save our planet, as long as we recycle, and that's aluminum."
The 2019 video can be seen here:
- YouTubeJason Momoa/YoTube
With his return to Dune, it’s likely (spoiler alert) that Momoa’s Duncan Idaho will follow the arc laid out in Frank Herbert’s novels—resurrected as a clone in Dune Messiah, the third installment.
Trying to avoid spoilers, Momoa teased on The Today Show:
“Well, I’m not sure if I’m going to get in trouble or not, but it’s the same thing like ‘Game of Thrones’, you know what I mean? If you didn’t read the books, it’s not my fault, right? Yeah, there’s going to be … I’m going to be coming back.”
As for the internet? Let’s just say Momoa’s beard-free look got people swooning, sweating, and swearing.
You can view their reactions below:
@iceprincess7566/Instagram
@andy.vasi/Instagram
@susan.murawski.3/Instagram
@helen_skv/Instagram
@perdomoviv22/Instagram
@llevangie/Instagram
Dune: Part Three began filming in Budapest on July 8 and is being shot using IMAX cameras. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh are expected to reprise their roles, with the film set for release in December 2026.
Jason Momoa is also making waves on the small screen with Chief of War, a sweeping Hawaiian historical drama that premiered last Friday on Apple TV+. Set between 1782 and 1810, the series follows the epic and often brutal journey of Momoa’s character Ka‘iana, a warrior chief who turned against Kamehameha I’s unification campaign of the Hawaiian islands.
You can watch the trailer here (beard intact).
- YouTubeApple TV+/YouTube
