Curtain Call: Joe Naufahu
“Seeing a beautiful woman naked for the first time is among the five best things in life.” -Khal Moro
Alas, poor Moro! I knew him, Daario: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent lists: he hath borne me on his horse’s back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rims at it. Here hung those lips my Khaleesi hath not kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your lists? Your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roaring fire? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chap-fallen? Now get you to Dany’s chamber, and tell her, let scorch an inch thick, to this favour she must come; make her laugh at that. Please, Daario, tell me one thing. ~A Bastardization of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Joe Naufahu’s time on Game of Thrones went up in smoke Sunday night when his character, Khal Moro, did what many dead characters on Game of Thrones have done: underestimate Daenerys Targaryen. (According to the Dothraki press corps, he just fell asleep with a lit cigar in his mouth during one of Dany’s speeches and accidentally burned down the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen, but we know the truth.)
According to interviews, Naufahu seemed to have a fun time on the set of Thrones. He talked to The Wall Street Journal about the inside jokes he shared with co-star Emilia Clarke:
"So we’d have little jokes, me and Emilia, with our own little pidgin Dothraki here and there. And I’d slip in some Samoan and Tongan words and try to put her off."
In that very same interview, Naufahu promised that there would be more fun scenes with his character later in the season, scenes along the lines of the one in “The Red Woman” when he and his bloodriders made a list of the best things in life.
"Khal Moro: ” Seeing a beautiful woman naked for the first time – what is better than that?”Bloodrider #1: “Killing another Khal.”Khal Moro: “Yes, killing another Khal.”Bloodrider #2: “Conquering a city and taking her people as slaves and taking her idols back to Vaes Dothrak.”Bloodrider #1: “Breaking a wild horse, forcing a half ton of muscle to submit to your will.”"
Too bad Joe Naufahu won’t be able to make good on that promise, because that scene was a delight. I had hoped to see Khal Moro at Dany’s side, fighting in the wars to come, but he couldn’t swallow his pride, and he burned for it.
What’s next for the 38-year-old native New Zealander (Kiwi)? According to Scout Entertainment and Celebrity News, Naufahu—who landed a four-episode arc on 2012’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand as escaped gladiator Liscus—plans on working to get his visa so he can open a gym in America called Ludus Magnus, which apparently is named after the largest gladiatorial school in ancient Rome. He also wants to continue to work on his acting career.
We wish Joe Naufahu nothing but the best, in his future endeavors. Heck, I think he would make the perfect Boba Fett, when Disney decides to start phase two of its standalone Star Wars film rollout. The last actor to play that role, Daniel Logan, is also from New Zealand, as is the actor who played his father, Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison), but I digress. As far as Naufahu’s Game of Thrones character is concerned, well…
Rest in peace, Khal Moro (and various lesser khals like Rhalko and Forzo), may your souls ride with your ancestors in the Night Lands, where they will join the firey khalasar of the Great Stallion.