Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa just can't wait to be Kiwi.
"I just need citizenship and we're good," he told Newshub.
His blockbuster juggernaut Aquaman is about to flood cinemas here - and all he can talk about is New Zealand.
Momoa has already expressed his love for Kiwi culture with a ferocious haka for the Los Angeles premiere of Aquaman.
"Obviously I am very close to it," he says.
"I've made my own haka for my family. My children were out there with me, we based the character around Polynesian culture. I thought it would be honouring a lot of people by doing it."
His global promo tour took him from LA to Sydney and it was clear from the moment Newshub sat down that while Jason Momoa is Hawaiian-born he is convinced deep down his roots are in Aotearoa.
"This is really cool, I haven't told anyone this. The Momoa lineage goes back nine generations in Hawaii but we actually found out we came from Aotearoa - which means we left Hawaii, went down to Aotearoa and then back. That's my line," he says.
"When I was a baby I saw pictures of New Zealand. I've been just pulled there and the moment I set foot there it was the only place on earth I've felt that this is exactly where I'm from - not even Hawaii has done that for me - I'm so connected to Aotearoa, on a higher level. I know I'm from there."
Aquaman is already on its way to being a huge hit. Obviously this is great news for Momoa, but also for the Kiwi he helped cast as his Aqua-Dad - Temuera Morrison.
Momoa says it was one of Morrison's earlier performances as Jake the Muss that blew the mind of a young Momoa.
"I wanted him to play my father. I've always wanted to work with him, being Polynesian. There's not too many to look up to. He was it for me," he says.
"Once Were Warriors blew me away, it's one of the greatest performances still to this day. I geeked out on him more than anyone else which was crazy. The poor guy, I f**king geeked out on him. I wanna have him in everything I do for the rest of my life."
Newshub.
