Jason Momoa says being a ‘dirtbag’ helped him survive Hollywood

Jason Momoa takes issue with the colloquial definition of the word “dirtbag.”

The Aquaman actor is gearing up to surprise fans with his eight-episode Max travelog, On The Roam, which follows him over the course of three years, interviewing craftspeople from artists to guitar-makers. But first, he kicks off the premier episode with a mission statement, describing himself as a proud “dirtbag” — just not in the way you’d expect.

“I grew up rock climbing,” Momoa told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview. “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 continued, “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.”

Don’t bother turning to Webster or the Urban Dictionary to jog your memory on the word’s meaning, Momoa is just letting everyone in on a niche community's tradition. While the term obviously carries the baggage of negative connotations, among those in the climbing world it’s just a lighthearted word for those who dedicate their lives to a rock climbing lifestyle.

“A dirtbag doesn’t mean a dirt-ball or a s---bag or a f---ing filthy person,” he clarified. “It just means that I am living in the dirt. Life made simple. We’re out in our trucks, we sleep on the cots. Everything that we have made is within our caravan.”

Momoa said that his climbing roots and “being in the dirt” have hugely contributed to his ability to survive the Hollywood industry. He added, “I may not live that life so much anymore, but that’s what keeps me rooted and grounded and humble and searching and hungry.”

Earlier this week, the actor — who is in the process of divorcing Lisa Bonet, his wife of seven years —told ET that he has taken up a nomadic lifestyle.

"I don't even have a home right now," Momoa admitted. "I live on the road.”

He explained that while he is currently based in New Zealand to begin production on the live-action Minecraft movie, he is typically prone to moving around. "I'm always in these weird places," he said. "You're gonna find me on the road. It happens all the time. They're like, 'What the hell are you doing in our hometown?'"

The moral of the story? Keep an eye out for any dirtbags in your neighborhood — they might just be Jason Momoa.

On the Roam premieres Jan. 18 on Max.

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