Jared Leto Has a Long History of Bizarre Behavior
Jared Leto has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women who say the My So-Called Life actor groomed or assaulted them when they were teenagers.
The women spoke out in a new BBC documentary, Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret. One said the Morbius star assaulted her when she was 17, while another accused him of statutory rape. Another victim was 16 when she received sexually explicit phone calls from the Oscar winner.
Leto denies the allegations.
“I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false,” Leto, 54, said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The new allegations are not the first time Leto has been accused of inappropriate behavior. Last year, nine women spoke to Air Mail about their troubling relationships and encounters with the actor. And rumors and reports about his interest in younger fans have circulated online for years.
The assault allegations against Leto are disturbing. They also come after years of strange behavior from the actor, including bizarre method acting techniques, altercations with other celebrities, and accusations that he might have started a cult.
Jared Leto admitted to sending creepy “gifts” to his ‘Suicide Squad’ co-stars
Leto is known for going to extreme lengths to get and stay in character for his roles. When he played the Joker in 2016’s Suicide Squad, he sent various creepy and gross gifts to his co-stars, including Margot Robbie and Will Smith.
“I did it to create a dynamic and an element of surprise,” an unapologetic Leto told E! News. “…The Joker is somebody who doesn’t really respect things like personal space or boundaries.”
‘Tron: Ares’ star had a public beef with Elijah Wood
Although he started out as an actor, Leto has also found success as a musician with his band, 30 Seconds to Mars. While the alt-rock group has a fervent fan base (more on that in a minute), they didn’t impress many critics – or actor Elijah Wood. Way back in 2003, The Lord of the Rings star called the band “f*cking awful” in an interview with Blender. Leto apparently saw the comment and took it very personally. Years later, when the two men encountered each other at event, things got heated.
“He was basically upset at the fact that I said I didn’t like his band,” the Frodo Baggins actor told Jane (via People). “He said that initially and then walked away.”
When Leto saw Wood discussing the encounter with those around him, he came back.
“I guess he thought I was laughing at him but I was more shell-shocked and telling people around me, ‘Whoa, I just got told off by Jared Leto for not liking his band.’ And that’s when he came back and grabbed me,” Wood continued, adding that he found the whole situation “ridiculous.”
He’s been accused of starting a cult
While Wood might not be a fan of 30 Seconds to Mars, plenty of people are. The most devoted call themselves The Echelon. In 2019, some of them traveled to an island in Croatia for a three-day retreat with the band’s frontman. When photos surfaced of a Jesus-y looking Leto leading a group of followers (many of them young women) all dressed in white, many wondered if he was running a cult.
Leto has said The Echelon is basically a joke and a commentary on the idea of intense fandoms. But the whole thing looks very strange, especially given the allegations swirling around him.
A fan may once sent him their severed ear – or so he claims
Leto’s fans are unusually devoted to him, and he doesn’t have a problem with that. In 2013, the actor claimed that someone had even sent him their severed ear.
“The fans are an incredibly committed and passionate group of people … Someone cut their ear off once and sent it to me. That was very strange. A whole ear. The Van Gogh move. The note just said, ‘Are you listening?’ I never knew who it was, who’s missing their ear out there,” he said in a interview with a U.K. radio station (via The Hollywood Reporter).
“I poked a hole in it and wore it as a necklace!” he added.
Leto later shared a photo of the ear necklace in question on his social media. Many dismissed the grotesque jewelry as a prop, but it still managed to cause quite the stir.
He climbed the outside of the Empire State Building
In addition to being an actor and a musician, Leto is also a climbing enthusiast. In 2023, he scaled a portion of the Empire State Building as part of a stunt to promote his band’s upcoming tour. He was the first person to legally climb the famous structure.
“I have to be honest, it was very, very hard. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be,” Leto told Today.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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