The cast and crew of Apple TV+'s upcoming historical drama 'Chief of War' experienced a remarkable natural phenomenon during production, as the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in three decades while they were shooting in Hawaii.
Te Kohe Tuhaka, who stars alongside Jason Momoa in the series, recalled how the eruption began on the first day of filming in Kalapana's lava fields and ceased as soon as they wrapped their final scenes. 'It was intense and beautiful at the same time, and pretty overwhelming,' he said.
Jason Momoa, who co-writes and executive produces the show, described the event to Entertainment Weekly as 'unbelievable' and noted the positive energy on set. 'You can't write that s***,' he added.
The series, which explores Pacific Island history with a predominantly Polynesian cast, is set in the early 19th century and follows the real-life Hawaiian warrior Ka'iana. Most scenes were shot in New Zealand, but key moments were filmed in Hawaii.
Tuhaka interpreted the eruption as a cultural sign, saying, 'Personally, from my perspective, I went, "Oh, that is a beautiful sign, a beautiful Hawaiian sign that this is something that is waking up the land in some way."' He also teased an epic action sequence in episode nine that caps off the series.
