Who is actor and singer Jared Leto?
Jared Joseph Leto, known professionally as Jared Leto, is an American actor, singer, songwriter and musician born on December 26, 1971, in Bossier City, Louisiana. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, formed with his older brother Shannon Leto. As an actor, he is known for roles in films including Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club, Suicide Squad and House of Gucci. Leto won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
Background/biography
Leto was raised by his mother, Constance Leto, and spent parts of his childhood in several places, including Louisiana, Colorado, Virginia and Wyoming. His mother encouraged creativity, and he has said that music was part of his upbringing. His biological father died by suicide when Leto was young.
He attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia before transferring to the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he studied filmmaking. His early interests included visual art and directing, but he moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s to pursue acting. He gained wider attention after playing Jordan Catalano in the television drama My So-Called Life.
In 1998, Jared Leto and Shannon Leto formed Thirty Seconds to Mars. The group initially developed its music away from Leto's acting profile and later became an internationally touring alternative rock act.
Acting and music career
- My So-Called Life (1994–1995) — played Jordan Catalano in the television series.
- Prefontaine (1997) — portrayed American distance runner Steve Prefontaine.
- Fight Club (1999) — appeared as Angel Face.
- Requiem for a Dream (2000) — played Harry Goldfarb.
- Panic Room (2002) — played Junior.
- Chapter 27 (2007) — portrayed Mark David Chapman.
- Dallas Buyers Club (2013) — played Rayon; won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- Suicide Squad (2016) — portrayed the Joker.
- Blade Runner 2049 (2017) — played Niander Wallace.
- Morbius (2022) — played Dr. Michael Morbius.
- Thirty Seconds to Mars — released albums including 30 Seconds to Mars (2002), A Beautiful Lie (2005), This Is War (2009), Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams (2013), America (2018) and It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day (2023).
- “The Kill (Bury Me),” “From Yesterday,” “Kings and Queens,” “This Is War,” “Up in the Air” and “Walk on Water” — among Thirty Seconds to Mars' best-known songs.
Leto's acting work has often included major physical and emotional transformations for roles. In music, Thirty Seconds to Mars became particularly associated with alternative rock, arena-oriented anthems, electronic production elements and visually ambitious music videos. The band has toured internationally and received several music awards, including MTV Video Music Awards.
An Oscar-winning transformation
Leto's portrayal of Rayon, a transgender woman living with HIV/AIDS in Dallas Buyers Club, brought him some of the most significant recognition of his acting career. Along with the Academy Award, he received major supporting-actor honors from organizations including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild. The performance also prompted discussion about transgender representation and casting in Hollywood.
Net worth
Public estimates of Jared Leto's net worth vary considerably and should be treated as speculative. Reports commonly attribute his wealth to acting salaries, touring and recorded music with Thirty Seconds to Mars, production work, endorsements and investments in technology businesses; however, no independently verified public figure is available.
Did you know?
- Jared Leto formed Thirty Seconds to Mars with his brother, drummer Shannon Leto.
- He studied visual arts and filmmaking before becoming widely known as an actor.
- He directed several Thirty Seconds to Mars videos under the pseudonym Bartholomew Cubbins.
- He won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Dallas Buyers Club.
- Thirty Seconds to Mars' music video for “From Yesterday” was filmed in the People's Republic of China and was widely reported as the first American rock video filmed entirely there.
- He has been involved as an investor in several technology and consumer businesses, though the scope and value of those investments are not fully public.
