Jason Momoa leads a predominately Polynesian cast in “Chief of War,” his ambitious epic, a 9-part historical drama about the founding of Hawaii.

Momoa’s passion – as creator, star, executive producer, writer and director – was evident to New Zealander Luciane Buchanan who plays Queen Kaʻahumanu, his wife and a formidable figure in early 19th-century Hawaii.

Best known for costarring in the Netflix monster hit “The Night Agent” and its sequel, Buchanan, 32, had already auditioned twice for “Chief” when a third and final “chemistry” read was ordered.

“My manager calls. She’s like, ‘It’s another callback but this time with Jason.’ I was like, ‘Ah, how do our characters interact?’ Because I hadn’t got a script — I was in LA and Jason was in Rome shooting the latest ‘Fast and Furious’ movie.

“He had gotten some time in the schedule. I had to wait about a month after that call to actually do it with him. Because he was so busy.

“The first time I met him, I was, ‘Oh my God!’ You know? I was a big ‘Game of Thrones’ fan. But immediately he’s just so human that it just clicked.

“I knew this was a story he’d always wanted to tell. He’s so passionate about it. Yet he was just a colleague, someone who came in and did the work.

“I just feel so lucky that I got to be part of that dream that he’s always wanted to tell.”

Was it that chemistry read that won her the role?

“It all came down to a wig that I had purchased,” she said. “I had a short, straight bob haircut and I guess the creative producers couldn’t quite see me in the role.

“Usually Polynesian women have long, luscious, textured hair, so the short bob did not fit the bill. My manager said, ‘I think we need a wig.’ So, I bought a synthetic wig — that changed everything.”

Can being cast as a legendary, well-documented figure be intimidating?

“Initially, I didn’t know how much I was going to be in the story. It was our director for Episodes 1 and 2, Justin Chon, who disclosed early on that she was in the story in a very big way.

“So that week, I flew out to start my research, jumping to Maui to the Big Island. I found myself in places where she lived. I went to her birthplace in Hana.

“I also went to where she spent most of her life. To local museums and libraries, trying to find as much as I could.  There’s so much to learn about her! It was awesome.”

“Chief of War” streams its first 2 episodes on AppleTV+ Aug. 1

Kaina Makua and Luciane Buchanan in a scene from “Chief of War.” (Photo Nicola Dove/Apple TV+).