Jason Momoa Flashes Skin in Malo Loincloth in First Look at New Apple TV+ Series Chief of War: 'A Story Rooted in My Home'

Jason Momoa is ready to tell the story of his home like never before.

The actor, 45, wrote, executive produces and stars in Apple TV+'s upcoming Hawaiian history series Chief of War, and he couldn't be more excited to give fans what he called a "story rooted in my home, my culture, and my heart" in an Instagram post.

"Hawaiian history has never been told like this," Momoa wrote alongside the first-look photo from the series, which sees him play warrior Ka‘iana, who "tries to unify the islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century," per a press release.

In the photo, Momoa is dressed in a malo — a traditional Hawaiian loincloth that he previously told PEOPLE he feels "very beautiful" wearing — as well as a regal red jacket and statement headpiece that seems to indicate his character's ranking amongst the soldiers.

Chief of War is based on true events and stars a predominantly Polynesian cast, per the streamer, in an "epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawai‘i at the turn of the 18th century."

Momoa also celebrated the release of the first-look photo in a video posted to his Instagram Stories. "It's finally out – please go check out the first look of Chief of War. Just wanna say, all my love to Hawai'i," he said in the video, as he shouted out "all the crew and cast" of the series who "killed it."

"I'm really excited, it's coming out on my birthday – I didn't pick that either," he continued. "Thank you, Apple. Been with you guys since the beginning and I'm so thankful."

"We've got 9 episodes coming August 1 ... I hope you love it," Momoa said, closing out the video as he said, "All my Aloha, check it out."

Alongside Momoa, Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale‘o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka and Te Kohe Tuhaka also star.

In July 2023, Momoa told PEOPLE that filming Chief of War helped him "reconnect" with his culture, as did dressing in such traditional, cultural clothing.

"It's such an honor to wear a malo," he said of the butt-baring loincloth. "So I look at it in a totally different way that maybe the world looks at it."

Though he knows the look "gets a lot of attention," he said it's "something that is just for me" and "just feels natural."

He also joked that fans "better get used to" the skin-baring look, "because it's going to be on billboards, and it's going to be all over ... The whole show, everyone's like that.”

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Chief of War premieres August 1 on Apple TV+.