Jason Momoa reunites with high school girlfriend 25 years later: See their romance in pics
Jason Momoa's high school girlfriend Lindsey Aaron hadn't seen her former beau in more than two decades — except on the silver screen.
"Seeing him on screen, it's comforting. He worked hard all through high school," Aaron told the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Momoa, the "Aquaman" actor, grew up in small-town Iowa and made it big in Hollywood.
Aaron was among hundreds who waited in line for a chance to meet and greet Momoa at the Fareway grocery store in Norwalk, Iowa. The central Iowa real estate agent got in line at 7:15 a.m. on Oct. 16 to greet Momoa, who was back home to promote his new Meili Vodka, a premium spirit brand co-founded with Blaine Halvorson.
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Aaron and Momoa met as students at Norwalk High School, located about 20 minutes south of downtown Des Moines, in the late 1990s. He was a senior jock, who played soccer at the suburban school from 1994 to 1997. During Aaron's junior year, Momoa asked her out on a date.
Everyone liked him, Aaron said, and she didn't want to be just another girl.
"I thought he was a cocky dude and a little bit of a womanizer so when he asked me out on a date, I told him 'No,'" Aaron said.
Back then, that answer wasn't good enough for the bourgeoning actor. So, a mutual friend asked Aaron to give him a chance. Aaron changed her mind about the Hawaii-born actor, the duo started dating and the rest is history.
"What you see, that's truly what you get. He truly is a down-to-earth guy," Aaron said.
During their relationship, the pair threw frisbees, played mini golf, watched Momoa's mom Coni's favorite series "La Femme Nikita" and chilled together at a local lake.
Aaron and Momoa went their separate ways after he graduated in 1997 and moved to Colorado.
They dated from March to August of that year. She didn't hear from him after that — until the following summer.
During the summer of 1998, shortly after Aaron graduated from Norwalk High School, a special guest drove through City State Bank where she worked. It was Momoa interested in reviving their relationship.
"He's like, 'How ya doing?' and he asked me out and I said 'No' and he said 'Why not?'" Aaron said.
By then, Aaron had a new boyfriend. The meeting at the bank was the last time they had spoken or seen each other until this year.
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Shortly after, Momoa went on to star in "Baywatch: Hawaii" which catapulted him into fame.
He married Lisa Bonet, who starred as Denise Huxtable in "The Cosby Show", and had two children before divorcing in early 2022.
Aaron got married, welcomed three children and went through a divorce, too.
She stayed in Norwalk and recalled bumping into Momoa's mom while her daughter was selling Girl Scout cookies at the grocery store. Coni greeted her by name and Aaron asked her to pass along congratulations to Momoa.
Around the time of Momoa's divorce, when Aaron's oldest daughter, Alexa, was in eighth grade, she posed a question to her mom.
"Guess who's single?" she asked in the car before telling Aaron that it was Momoa.
What happened when Jason Momoa reconnected with high school girlfriend in Iowa?
Her high school sweetheart became one of the world's biggest heartthrobs.
"It was so fun seeing him. When he saw me, I got a 'Lindseyyyyy' in his deep rumbly voice and a huge hug!" Aaron recalled.
The former couple talked for a few seconds. They reminisced about their pictures together. He mentioned looking through photo albums at his mom's home in Norwalk.
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She was invited to go out for drinks that night in downtown Des Moines with friends. Aaron didn't attend – she was committed to her daughter's debate tournament.
"Jason's a family person. I'm sure he understands. There will be other times, I'm sure," Aaron said.
She hopes the next time isn't 25 years from now.
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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Jason Momoa reunites with high school girlfriend: See photos
