Jason Momoa used Filipino martial art Kali to send son secret messages in 'Dune'

American actor says he's 'signalling' to real-life son in scenes with Timothee Chalamet

US actor Jason Momoa was inspired by the Filipino martial art Kali when filming 'Dune'. EPA

Jason Momoa has revealed he paid tribute to his son in Dune through Kali, the national martial art of the Philippines.

The Hawaii-born actor stars as Duncan Idaho, the swordmaster of House Atreides, in the blockbuster film. As part of his role, he mentors Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) in martial arts, the training for which, he says, was inspired by Kali.

“We did a bunch of stuff like Kali,” he told IndieWire. “I never really learned that. My son does that. There’s definitely these intimate moments where I’m signalling to my son. That’s a Kali move, where you put your hand on your heart and put it on your head. That’s to Timothee in the movie, but that’s to my son in real life.”

Momoa is dad to son Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa, 12, and daughter Lola Iolani Momoa, 14, who he shares with American actress Lisa Bonet.

Dune, which is based on the 1965 science-fiction novel by Frank Herbert, was partially shot in the UAE and Jordan.

Chalamet described shooting in Wadi Rum as surreal, in a conversation with Variety.

"It was really surreal," the Call Me by Your Name actor said of shooting a scene at dawn in the south of Jordan. "There are these Goliath landscapes, which you may imagine existing on planets in our universe, but not on Earth."

Wadi Rum, a spectacular red-rock desert pockmarked by granite and sandstone canyons, has also featured in Hollywood hits The Martian, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Aladdin.

See the stars of 'Dune' at the London premiere: