Long before Jason Momoa was swinging a trident in Aquaman or tearing across desert dunes in Dune, he was a kid in Norwalk, Iowa, watching his mother pack a 35mm camera and a box of pastels into the back of her car.
Anyone who follows Jason Momoa closely knows that whenever a major premiere rolls around, the woman standing closest to him on the carpet is usually his mother, Coni Momoa. She isn’t a Hollywood insider chasing publicity. For more than four decades, the Iowa-born artist and photographer has been the quiet force behind her son’s curiosity about art, nature, and storytelling.
Coni Momoa Quick Bio
| Full Name | Coni Momoa (née Lemke) |
| Hometown | Norwalk, Iowa, United States |
| Ancestry | German, Irish, and Native American (Pawnee) |
| Profession | Photographer and Visual Artist |
| Former Spouse | Joseph Momoa (Native Hawaiian painter) |
| Children | Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa (born August 1, 1979) |
| Grandchildren | Lola Iolani Momoa and Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa |
Early Life and Iowa Roots
Coni Momoa was born Coni Lemke and grew up in Iowa, raised in a tight-knit Midwestern family with German, Irish, and Pawnee heritage. Her mother, Mabel Lemke—whom Jason affectionately called “Grandma Mabel” until her passing at age 94—helped instill a practical, grounded work ethic that shaped the whole family.
Unlike many parents in small farming towns who nudged their kids toward predictable office jobs, Coni had a restless creative streak from a young age. She studied visual arts and photography, drawn to landscape composition, oil painting, and documentary-style portraiture. That appetite for travel and art eventually led her outside the Midwest and across the Pacific to Oahu, Hawaii, in the late 1970s.
How Coni Met Joseph Momoa
While living in Hawaii, Coni met Joseph Momoa, a Native Hawaiian painter whose family hailed from Nanakuli on Oahu’s west coast. The two connected instantly over their shared love of painting and studio work. On August 1, 1979, they welcomed their only child, Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa, in Honolulu.
Although Coni and Joseph separated before Jason turned one, they avoided the bitterness that often follows a split. Coni decided to return home to Norwalk, Iowa, where she had family support and could build a stable home for her infant son, while making sure Jason never lost touch with his father or his Hawaiian relatives.
Raising Jason Momoa as a Single Mother in Norwalk
Norwalk in the 1980s was a quiet town just south of Des Moines, and raising a biracial boy on a single mother’s income took grit. Coni worked steady jobs while keeping photography and painting at the center of their home life. Rather than parking young Jason in front of a television—in fact, their house went years without one—she handed him sketchbooks, watercolor paper, and climbing gear.
In interviews over the years, Jason has often credited his mother for teaching him how to see the world like an artist. On weekends, Coni drove him across the Midwest and out West to camp, rock climb, and photograph wildlife. When he was a teenager, she saved up so he could travel to France to study pastel painting in Paris—an experience that gave him the confidence to walk into casting rooms years later.
Bridging Iowa and Hawaii
Even though they lived in landlocked Iowa, Coni made sure Hawaii was never just a postcard to her son. During school breaks, Jason flew out to Oahu to spend summers with his father Joseph, his uncle Brian Keaulana (the legendary Hawaiian waterman and stunt coordinator), and his extended Ohana. After graduating from Norwalk High School, Jason briefly studied marine biology in Iowa and Colorado before moving back to Hawaii at age 19, where he was discovered by designer Takeo Kobayashi and cast in Baywatch Hawaii.
Red Carpets and the 2024 Guinness Commercial
Once Jason’s acting career took off with Stargate Atlantis, Game of Thrones, and Aquaman, Coni became a fixture at his biggest career milestones. Whether she was celebrating on the purple carpet at the London premiere of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with her grandchildren Lola and Nakoa-Wolf or visiting film sets in Europe, she remained refreshingly unpretentious.
In March 2024, Coni stepped in front of the camera herself for a lighthearted Guinness commercial titled “Lovely Day for a Guinness,” which Jason directed. In the spot, Jason sprints through restaurants after learning he might have Irish roots—only for Coni to deliver the deadpan punchline at the bar alongside him. Fans immediately loved her natural comedic timing.
Coni Momoa’s Life Today
Today, Coni Momoa splits her time between Iowa and traveling with her son and grandchildren. She continues to photograph her travels, support environmental and indigenous arts initiatives alongside Jason’s production company, Pride of Gypsies, and remains the person Jason calls his greatest teacher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Coni Momoa from?
Coni Momoa grew up in Norwalk, Iowa, just outside Des Moines, where she also raised her son Jason Momoa after he was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
What does Coni Momoa do for a living?
She spent her career working as a photographer and visual artist, passing her passion for painting, cameras, and outdoor adventure on to her son.
Are Coni Momoa and Joseph Momoa still together?
No. Coni and Jason’s father, Hawaiian painter Joseph Momoa, separated when Jason was an infant, though both parents remained supportive presences throughout his life.