The road to bringing the story of the history of the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii has had a long journey. Both Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa have been associated with adapting the sprawling history of the Polynesian tribes before they were colonized. Chief of War takes a deep dive into the final years of the disparate islands ruled by warring factions and how they came together under the leadership of a single ruler to become a unified nation. It is a fascinating tale delivered using authentic language, weapons, and costumes that follow in the historical record of the Hawaiian people.
Chief of War follows Ka’iana (Jason Momoa), an exiled chief who lives abroad with European sailors to garner weapons to return to his homeland to defend his people from the rampage of Kahekili (Temuera Morrison), a tribal chief who seeks to control all of the Hawaiian islands. Aligning with Kamehameha (Kaina Makua), Ka’iana befriends the new king’s wife, Ka’ahumanu (Luciane Buchanan), and tries to convince the young ruler to join the fight against Kahekili to save their tribes. What follows is an epic, nine-episode masterpiece that chronicles how Hawaii became a single nation (read our rave review HERE).
I talked with the creators and stars of Chief of War about the new series. Te Ao o Hinepehinga talked about playing Ka’iana’s wife, Kupuohi, and what it was like being a part of a love triangle. Luciane Buchanan spoke about the unique place female characters held in this story and how she related to such a strong and empowered historical figure. Kaina Makua talked about the honor of portraying King Kamehameha and how he aligned with the message that the famed Hawaiian leader shared with his people. Moses Goods talked about playing Moku and how vital it was to deliver this series with historical accuracy. Co-creator Thomas Pa’a Sibbett spoke about writing the series alongside his friend, Jason Momoa. At the same time, Momoa talked about the challenges of being a star, writer, producer, and director on this passion project. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.
Chief of War is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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