The actor says help from his ancestors and thoughts of his then 3-month-old daughter helped him win a battle for his life.

The " Chief of War " star, 46, revealed on the Aug. 11 episode of the "SmartLess" podcast that he once nearly died in a surfing accident. The incident occurred when Momoa's surfboard leash "snapped" while he was almost a mile off shore on the island of Maui.

Just because Jason Momoa played Aquaman, that doesn't mean he can really command the waves. The Chief of War actor learned a harsh lesson about the terrifying power of nature at the beginning of his career,