Why Jason Momoa Doesn’t Mind Being Called a ‘Dirtbag’

Jason Momoa is gearing up for the release of his new travelogue docuseries On the Roam, which finds the actor interviewing a variety of craftspeople, athletes, musicians, and more. The series reflects many of his own interests, and finds Momoa giving himself a unique label: dirtbag. 

Although the term often has a negative association, Momoa recently told The Hollywood Reporter that for him, it goes back to his roots.

“I grew up rock climbing. That’s what got me out of Iowa, my first passion. It took me to Colorado and then around the world and to Tibet, France, Italy. I’ve traveled the world, climbing, and that’s what a dirtbag is. It’s a climber,” he explained. 

“I used to live out of my car, carry my world and my rucksack. So, from the climber’s point of view, a dirtbag is just someone who’s really in nature, who’s constantly on the road. That’s what the show’s about.”

Momoa went on to note that he takes pride in being a so-called “dirtbag,” saying that to him, the term means someone who is really out there getting their hands dirty.

“A dirtbag doesn’t mean a dirt-ball or a s–t-bag or a f–king filthy person. It just means that I am living in the dirt. Life made simple,” he said. “We’re out in our trucks, we sleep on the cots. Everything that we have made is within our caravan. At the root of me, that’s how I survived in this industry: being in the dirt and going and playing on the rocks. I may not live that life so much anymore, but that’s what keeps me rooted and grounded and humble and searching and hungry.”

Momoa’s On the Roam series premieres on Max on January 18.