Jason Momoa Is Giving Away His Million-Dollar Truck To “Save The Planet,” And Reddit Is Having A Field Day
AQUAMAN IS TRYING TO BE A HERO ON LAND TOO, BUT THE INTERNET ISN’T BUYING IT. JASON MOMOA, THE GUY WHO MADE BROKEN BOTTLES LOOK LIKE HIGH FASHION AND ZADDY ENERGY LOOK LIKE A PERSONALITY TRAIT, IS AT IT AGAIN WITH ANOTHER “LOOK AT ME, I’M SAVING THE WORLD” STUNT. THE LATEST? HE’S PLEDGING TO GIVE AWAY HIS ABSOLUTELY GIGANTIC, GAS-GUZZLING, “I’M COMPENSATING FOR SOMETHING” VINTAGE MILITARY TRUCK. BECAUSE NOTHING SAYS “I CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT” LIKE A CELEBRITY DITCHING A PROP THAT COST MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE’S HOUSES.
Let’s set the scene. The man who literally played a dude who talks to fish is now trying to play a dude who talks to the EPA. Momoa, fresh off a “sustainable” fashion line that probably still required 15 flights to shoot, dropped a video on Instagram. In it, he’s sitting in this massive, desert-camo-painted, 1972 Willys Jeep Gladiator. It’s the kind of truck that gets 8 miles to the gallon and only if you push it downhill. The caption? “Time to give her away. She’s been good to me, but it’s time to reduce my carbon footprint.”
Oh, honey, no.
The internet, being the lovely, supportive place we all know and love, immediately sharpened its pitchforks. Reddit, that sacred temple of cynicism and armchair psychology, erupted. The top comment on r/trashy? “Bruh, this is like a billionaire saying he’s going to stop eating avocado toast to fight inflation.” Another gem: “He’s not giving it away for the planet. He’s giving it away because the gas bill was higher than his child support payments.”
And look, I get it. The optics are a dumpster fire. Here’s a guy who flies private jets to “sustainability summits.” He’s the guy who shills for water brands in plastic bottles while wearing a shirt made of recycled fishing nets. Now he’s getting rid of a truck that is essentially a rolling monument to fossil fuels. But here’s the thing: is he wrong to do it? Or are we just so terminally online that we can’t see a good deed without shitting on it?
Let’s break down the AITA potential. Jason Momoa, AITA for giving away a truck to look like a hero? Or are we, the collective internet, the assholes for hating on a guy trying to do something marginally less stupid than his last stunt?
First, the case for Team Momoa. He’s not the first celebrity to pull this. Leo DiCaprio has been yelling about climate change from his yacht for a decade. Mark Ruffalo is basically a human PSA. But Momoa is at least trying to *do* something, even if it’s performative. He’s said he’s going to use the proceeds to “plant a million trees” and “clean up the ocean.” Will he actually do it? Who knows? But at least he’s not just tweeting a black square and calling it a day. He’s sacrificing a cool, expensive toy. That’s more than 99% of us will ever do. Most people won’t even give up their plastic straws.
But then there’s the other side. The “I’m not impressed” brigade. And they have a point. This is the same guy who, last year, was driving that exact truck to the set of “Aquaman 2,” which, fun fact, is a movie that probably had a carbon footprint bigger than a small country. He’s the king of greenwashing. He’ll sell you a $200 “sustainable” hoodie that was made in a factory that probably uses coal power. He’ll preach about reducing waste while wearing a $10,000 watch that has a battery that will outlive his grandchildren.
The real kicker? The truck isn’t even being donated. He’s giving it away. To a fan. Through a contest. So he gets the PR, the viral moment, and the tax write-off. It’s a masterclass in doing the least amount of good for the maximum amount of attention. It’s the celebrity equivalent of recycling a soda can after you’ve already thrown a rager that filled a landfill.
And let’s not forget the timing. This drops right as gas prices are hitting “sell a kidney” territory. It’s like he’s rubbing it in. “Oh, you can’t afford to fill your Honda Civic? Well, I’m just going to give away my thousand-horsepower war machine because I’m a *good person*.” It’s the ultimate humblebrag. It’s the kind of move that makes you want to throw a shoe at your screen.
But here’s where the dark humor comes in. Imagine being the person who wins this truck. You think you’re getting a free ride. A cool, vintage, movie-star car. Then you realize it takes 30 gallons of gas to go to the grocery store and back. You’re now the proud owner of a vehicle that requires its own zip code for parking and a second mortgage to refuel. Congratulations, you played yourself. Momoa is essentially handing off a problem. He’s passing the carbon buck. “Here, you deal with the emissions, I’m going to go meditate in a yurt.”
The whole thing feels like a scene from a satirical comedy. A guy worth $40 million is “saving the planet” by getting rid of a single truck. Meanwhile, the rest of us are trying to figure out how to afford eggs. It’
Final Thoughts
After years of being cast as the stoic, muscle-bound archetype—first as Khal Drogo, then as Aquaman—Jason Momoa’s recent pivot toward more nuanced, even vulnerable roles suggests a deliberate shedding of that armor. It’s a savvy career move, but more importantly, it reveals an actor who understands that true screen presence isn’t just about wielding a trident or a sword, but about knowing when to set them down. Ultimately, Momoa’s evolution feels less like a rebrand and more like a homecoming to the craft he signed up for, proving that even a Hollywood titan can find his most compelling voice by quieting the roar.