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Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto played the Joker in Suicide Squad, released in 2016. His performance relied on intense method acting. In 2018, Leto gave an interview to Medium writer Alexis Novak about his process for a planned standalone film, The Joker’s Joker Movie. The film was slated for a 2019 release, but it never went into production.
Conducted on September 25, 2018, the interview captured Leto's striking remark when asked if his talking and acting style was part of the acting process for the role:
“It’s not an act. I’m f*cked. Don’t you see?”
He made this statement while discussing the psychological toll of embodying the Joker’s chaos.
The interview, set in a trailer adorned with swords and a jade phoenix statue, delved into Leto’s mental state and creative process. He described hiring multiple therapists to cope, highlighting the role’s intensity.
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After the interview, the standalone film’s cancellation in 2019 shifted focus to Leto’s candid revelations. The conversation explored his preparation, past roles, and artistic philosophy, offering a glimpse into his mindset.
Jared Leto’s raw confession in the 2018 interview
The Medium interview, held in Leto’s candle-lit trailer, revealed his deep dive into the Joker for the unproduced The Joker’s Joker Movie. Leto insisted on being called “Dr. Leto”. Upon being asked if the character Joker is the doctor, he said,
“No, but I am. I prescribe pain, misfortune, and turmoil to anyone I come in contact with. That’s why I am incapable of love.”
He explained hiring “11 different therapists” to stay grounded, noting,
“I had to have a footballs team’s worth of brain professionals just to keep me on track.”
The trailer’s decor—black beads, a katana-shaped door knocker, and a mannequin in a knight’s helmet—mirrored his process.
When asked how the standalone film differed from Suicide Squad, Leto slapped his face and shouted, “TRY AND STOP ME!”.
Jared Leto reflected on mainstreaming method acting, stating,
“I’m one of the first modern actors to bring ‘method acting’ mainstream. I talked about it in 100% of the press interviews for Suicide Squad.”
He also mentioned studying real-life institutionalized individuals, as noted in a 2016 The Jakarta Post article:
“I did meet with people that were experts, doctors, psychiatrists that dealt with psychopaths and people who had committed horrendous crimes, and then I spent some time with those people themselves, people who have been institutionalized for great periods of time,”
Jared Leto’s method acting defined the interview’s intensity
When the interviewer clarified they were there at his publicist’s request to discuss his acting process, Jared Leto responded,
“Why are you guys here? I am just an outcast. Society’s ‘throw away’ that’s why I am so f*ckin’ messed up.”
Later, discussing his ability to shift from dark roles to performing with Thirty Seconds to Mars, he said,
“I know. Horoscopes are like my north star and even I get lost so much. Honestly? I feel like I’m the only man on earth that actually gets horoscopes for what they are, psychiatry meets art. I just need to, ah, you guys wouldn’t get it.”
This came after mentioning his Gemini zodiac sign, tying it to his artistic philosophy. His actions, like putting a Gucci slipper to his ear, underscored the interview’s chaotic vibe. The film, planned as a bold project, was canceled in 2019.
Stay tuned for more news and updates.
