Jason Momoa was seen riding a vintage motorcycle in New York City ahead of Saturday Night Live as host of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Jason Momoa was pictured riding a vintage motorcycle in New York City on Monday, days before he was set to host Saturday Night Live to promote his upcoming film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

The 44-year-old actor was spotted at the intersection of Bowery and E. 3rd Street outside The Bowery Hotel, turning on his bike to leave.

Aquaman’s leading man wore a black leather motorcycle jacket over a gray top with black boots, a black ballcap and black-rimmed glasses, while wearing a helmet prior to his excursion into the city.

The Honolulu-born star will host the NBC variety show for the second time, as he previously hosted the December 8, 2018 edition of the show and made guest appearances in October 2019 and October 2020.

Momoa prepares to hit the road as he reprises his signature role in the sequel to the 2018 blockbuster.

The actor was seen out of the picture about a month after a report Variety that indicated the Aquaman sequel was beset by drama amid the release of Amber Heard’s therapy documents, which alleged Momoa purposely dressed like Johnny Depp and pushed her to get her fired from the film.

Depp’s fans paid the legal costs for the release of the notes from Heard’s therapist, Dr. Dawn Hughes on December 27, 2021 — which were written on a notepad — and were part of the trial last year — and the notes later appeared on Reddit, according to the outlet.

Heard, 37, will return as Mera in the sequel, after claiming in her highly publicized lawsuit with Depp earlier last year that she “fought very hard to stay in the film” but that “they didn’t want to shoot [her] in the movie’ and her scenes were cut.

The notes detailed a supposedly hostile Aquaman 2 set: “Jason said he wanted to fire me. Jason drunk, late on set. Dress up as Johnny. Also has all the rings.’

Representatives for Momoa declined to comment after publication, while a spokesperson for DC Studios said, “Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”

A source who was on set in London in 2021 added that the pair got along well on set, adding: ‘Jason works his butt off, likes to have the occasional beer like everyone else, but shows up not drunk on set. And he doesn’t dress like Johnny Depp. He always dressed in that bohemian style.”

Heard’s representatives declined to comment but confirmed in the release that the notes were related to Aquaman 2 and a December 27, 2021 therapy session.

Another source close to the actress claims her lawyers have been fighting the release of the notes – which were “subpoenaed by Depp’s lawyers during discovery.”

The notes also stated that Heard targeted film director James Wan, claiming she was being treated poorly due to her legal battle with Depp.

Discussing Wan in the notes, the actress reportedly said, “He raised his voice @ me – I can’t even post about Aquaman – made it look like it was my fault – I said, ‘I’m sorry.’ When there was a blackout, no one could take selfies with me on set.”

Wan declined to comment to publication, but a DC spokesperson refuted the claims, saying: “James is known for treating members of his cast and crew with the utmost respect and fostering a positive, collaborative environment on set – the Aquaman films were no exception. .’

Sources further claimed in the publication that Heard was almost kicked out of the sequel by Wan and the studio due to a “lack of chemistry” with Momoa — but her ex-boyfriend Elon Musk saved her job.

It was claimed that a letter was sent to her lawyer Karl Austen informing Heard of the decision following Aquaman’s release in 2018 – and that Momoa had played no role in the decision to fire her.

Another source claimed that Heard did a chemistry test with Momoa before landing the role in the first film, beating out actresses including Abbey Lee.

Heard’s ex-boyfriend and Tesla billionaire Musk, 52, reportedly sent one of his trial lawyers a “scorched earth letter” to Warner Bros. threatened to burn the house down’ if Heard was not brought back for the sequel, a source claimed.

Warner Bros. then withdrew and kept Heard on board. Representatives from Warner Bros. and Elon Musk have been contacted for comment by DailyMail.com.

Musk first met Heard in 2012 when the actress was filming Machete Kills in Los Angeles, at a time when the star was in a tumultuous relationship with Depp.

When that marriage ended amid allegations of domestic violence, Heard quietly began spending more time with the South African-born billionaire before eventually confirming their status just months after the ink was dry on her divorce from Depp.

The couple dated for 12 months between 2017 and 2018, with Musk visiting her on the set of Aquaman in Australia. In February 2018, they finally called it quits for good.

It was also claimed that “at least” two scenes featuring Heard were cut from the sequel: an action scene in which Mera fights Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and a love scene with Momoa, insiders familiar with the production claimed.

In July, Heard broke her silence about returning to the role of Mera in the Aquaman sequel.

The actress, who reportedly earned $2 million for her role in the first film, said she was “honored” to return to the DC Extended Universe, but admitted there was “a lot of pressure.”

In comparison to her latest film, In the Fire, Amber said Deadline: ‘These are very different types of projects that represent two very different ends of the spectrum in my industry.

“There’s a lot of pressure on these big franchise films, with millions and millions of dollars at stake, and compromises are part of the effort to make them the most successful.

‘At the other end of the spectrum is a small indie film like In The Fire, a work of art and a labor of love, with not nearly the same resources, and so there are compromises.

‘The best luck you can have as an actor is if you can balance both. Aquaman, that franchise and the machinery behind it, I’m very honored, honored to be a part of that.

She continued, “And then there are those little passion projects like In The Fire, where I’m proud that I got to know the filmmaker and the cast, and that we got dirty together to breathe life into this story.

“There’s something cool about that, and I think success is an actor who can have both of those things.”

Heard starred in the first Aquaman film in 2018, but her return in the sequel was controversial after she accused her ex-husband Johnny Depp of abuse.

A petition was set up by the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor’s fans demanding her role be recast, accusing her of a ‘systematic crusade to ruin Depp in Hollywood’.

Johnny was dropped from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, after losing his case against News Group Newspapers for calling him a “wife beater,” which a judge said was “substantially true.”

The petition gathered millions of signatures, but Amber dismissed it, telling Entertainment Weekly: “Paid rumors and paid campaigns on social media do not dictate [casting decisions] because they have no basis in reality.’

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom stars Jason Momoa, as well as Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman, Yahya Abdul Mateen II and Temuera Morrison. The release is scheduled for December 22.