Who was the real Kaʻahumanu? The story behind Luciane Buchanan’s Chief of War role

Chief of War, the latest drama series on Apple TV+ brings forth one of the more riveting historical stories. Luciane Buchanan plays the role of Ka’ahumanu, the queen of the unified Hawai‘i. Wife of King Kamehameha I, who founded the Kamehameha dynasty, Ka’ahumanu had a significant political presence in Hawai‘i from 1823 to 1832. She played an important role in contributing to his efforts to unite the island.

Chief of War revolves around the unification of the Hawaiian Islands by Ka‘iana (portrayed by Jason Momoa) and the colonization in the late 18th century. The much-anticipated series premiered on the streaming platform on August 1, 2025, with two episodes. The series is based on real historical events.

The real Ka’ahmumanu from Chief of War

Kamehameha I was a celebrated Hawaiian ruler who established the Kamehameha dynasty in 1810. He set out to bring together the island and became known as one of the fiercest Hawaiian leaders. Kaʻahumanu was betrothed to the King at an early age. She would become the King’s favorite wife, who also stood by the ambitious ruler through his efforts to unify the island under one rule.

After Kamehameha I passed away, she came to be known as Kuhina Nui. She was instrumental in establishing several reforms that overthrew traditional practices that especially affected the women on the island. One of her more significant accomplishments included her influencing the late king's successor, Liholiho Kamehameha II, to eat with women in public, a taboo at the time.

She even went on to get education from the missionaries who arrived on the island in the 1820s. She continued to travel the islands and create awareness about education and missionary work. Until her death in 1832, she was a prominent figure in Hawai‘i.

Luciane Buchanan as Ka’ahumanu in Chief of War

In Chief of War, Luciane Buchanan portrays the role of Ka’ahumanu. She is shown as a strong catalyst, along with the King, in unifying the island of Hawai‘i. She is portrayed as a young woman eager to establish herself in the new world.

As per Town & Country Magazine, Buchanan said that Ka’ahumanu is a rebel in her own right, who would influence people to get what she wants using her charm. She shared about her role,

“The more and more I learned about her, the more I was just in awe. A lot of history is from the lens of men. I’d read all these books and there would be two pages about her, and then the rest is about Kamehameha, which is amazing, but also frustrating for me: How do I build this character?”

One of the places that Buchanan found her inspiration was Beyonce’s Renaissance album. She also shared that she got swayed by Ka’ahumanu’s strong personality when she started filming the series. She said,

“I felt her spirit in some scenes, especially when we were shooting in Hawai‘i. There were scenes where I would kind of black out and be like, ‘Did we do it?’ She was such a strong woman—that’s a very cliché thing to say, but when I was portraying her, I felt that completely.”

Chief of War is created by Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett. The limited Apple TV+ series comprises of 9 episodes. The series also stars Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, and Moses Goods. The series is produced for Apple TV+ by Fifth Season and Chernin Entertainment.

Watch Chief of War on Apple TV+. Episodes will premiere weekly with the finale slated to release on September 19, 2025.

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