Jared Leto biography, age, wife, net worth, band, awards, height 2025

Biography of Jared Leto

Jared Joseph Leto is an American actor, music video director, and lead vocalist for the alternative rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. His dedication is legendary – he'll sacrifice both mind and body to fully embody his characters. This commitment earned him an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club and delivered standout performances in Chapter 27, Requiem for a Dream, Highway, and other acclaimed films.

Childhood and Family

Jared Leto was born in Louisiana on December 26, 1971. He and his older brother Shannon, who's nearly two years his senior, had a tough childhood. Their father left their mother, Constance, when the boys were young. After remarrying and having two more children, their father took his own life. Jared was eight years old.

Jared Leto and his older brother Shannon in childhood

Constance's second husband, Carl Leto, adopted the brothers and gave them his last name. He worked in the U.S. Air Force, which meant the family moved frequently. However, Constance's marriage to Carl also ended in divorce.

Jared was a driven and confident kid. He got his first job at the age of 12. The future star started washing dishes at a small diner and worked as a doorman four years later.

Jared thanks his mom for all his achievements

Constance instilled a love for the arts in her children. At one point, she embraced hippie ideology and joined a community of creative individuals. The Leto brothers were surrounded by musicians, actors, artists, and photographers, and they themselves played music from an early age. Jared's first instrument was an out-of-tune piano, while the kitchen, with all its pans and pots, became his personal sound laboratory.

Jared Leto has been inseparable from music since childhood

Jared got expelled in 10th grade, but he turned things around and finished his education at the small private Emerson Preparatory School. After graduating, Leto enrolled in the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he majored in painting. Later, he became interested in filmmaking and transferred to the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. As a student, Jared wrote a script and starred in his own short film titled "Crying Joy."

Acting Career

In 1992, Jared Leto, with a backpack and a couple hundred dollars, moved from New York to Los Angeles, determined to become a director. Believing that acting was his path to the director's chair, he started knocking on studio doors. Soon he landed a small role in the sitcom "Camp Wilder."

Jared Leto in the series 'Camp Wilder'. His first role

Jared shot to fame playing Jordan Catalano in the coming-of-age teen drama "My So-Called Life." Though the show only lasted one season, it won a Golden Globe and launched the careers of many current movie stars, including its star Claire Danes.

'My So-Called Life': Jared Leto and Claire Danes

In 1994, Jared Leto starred alongside Alicia Silverstone in the indie film "Cool and the Crazy," then in "How to Make an American Quilt" with Winona Ryder. In 1997, Jared Leto landed a role originally intended for Tom Cruise in "Prefontaine" – a compelling portrayal of legendary runner Steve Prefontaine's life.

Jared Leto as Steve Prefontaine

1998 proved to be a breakthrough year for the actor. He appeared in Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line," which boasted a powerhouse ensemble cast including Sean Penn and George Clooney, followed by a central role in the horror thriller "Urban Legend."

Leto's next major film came in 1999. He appeared in David Fincher's "Fight Club," though he's barely recognizable with his platinum blond hair. He plays Angel Face, a character who gets brutally beaten by Edward Norton's protagonist.

Jared Leto in 'Fight Club'

Soon after, he appeared in supporting roles in two dramas: "Girl, Interrupted" with Winona Ryder (1999) and "American Psycho" with Christian Bale (2000).

That same year brought the premiere of Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," cementing Jared's status among Hollywood's elite. He plays a heroin-addicted Brooklyn kid raised by his elderly mother (Ellen Burstyn). He has a girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly) and a best friend (Marlon Wayans), and each character harbors a dream: he and his friend want to get rich, the mother wants to be on television, and his girlfriend dreams of opening a boutique. But addiction destroys all their dreams.

A still from the movie 'Requiem for a Dream'

In preparing for his role, Leto not only lost 28 pounds but also befriended real drug addicts from Brooklyn. "I met a girl, and a few days later her friend said she died in the hospital from an overdose," the actor recalled.

Jared Leto Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters

Jared landed a role in David Fincher's "Panic Room," playing a chatty, bumbling burglar who happens to be the grandson of the house's former owner—the same house where Jodie Foster and young Kristen Stewart's characters are trapped.

Jared's filmography also featured Oliver Stone's historical epic "Alexander," the thriller "Lord of War," and the drama "Chapter 27," where he portrayed John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman.

Jared talks about his role in Chapter 27

Once cast in the role, Leto was determined to fully embody his character. For the role, the actor packed on 60 pounds. This proved challenging for the committed vegetarian, who had to follow a strict diet. Each night, Jared would microwave ice cream, add olive oil, and drink the mixture before going to sleep. The extra weight made filming incredibly difficult for the normally athletic Leto. As soon as filming wrapped, he immediately started shedding the weight. He fasted for days, surviving on nothing but water mixed with maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice.

For the role of Mark Chapman, Jared Leto gained weight

In 2009, Leto hit the big screen in French director Jaco Van Dormael's "Mr. Nobody." The film won the Golden Osellas for Best Technical Contribution and the award for Best Feature Biographical Film at the Venice Film Festival in 2009. Leto plays Nemo across multiple timelines, aging from teenager to 120-year-old man—with audiences witnessing nine different versions of the character. "It was an unforgettable experience. The film raises countless questions without giving easy answers—it just reminds you how incredible life can be. I could've played thousands of different Nemos because life's possibilities are endless," he later reflected.

Leto then stepped away from acting until 2013, focusing entirely on his band during the hiatus. After four years away, Jared Leto made his return to cinema. In 2013, Jean-Marc Vallée's "Dallas Buyers Club" hit theaters, telling the true story of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, an electrician played by Matthew McConaughey.

Jared played Rayon, Woodroof's drug-addicted transgender friend who helps him build an illegal business selling medications to other HIV patients. Both actors were awarded Oscars: McConaughey for Best Actor and Leto for Best Supporting Actor.

Jared Leto Oscar speech

To prepare for the role, Jared dropped weight once again, shedding 28 pounds. But his co-star lost even more—a staggering 47 pounds. McConaughey claimed he never actually met Leto on the set of "Dallas Buyers Club." The person he was acting with was always Rayon—that's how completely Jared had immersed himself in the character. "He'd constantly steal my stuff—literally lighters, a pocketknife, you name it," McConaughey recalled. "I didn't know how to address him... or her. I was dealing with a lady, and quite a sexy one at that," the director admitted.

During filming, Jared Leto firmly embraced the role of Rayon

Jared spent the next couple of years focused on his music career, only to resurface for DC comics fans in 2016 in the iconic role of The Joker, Batman's archenemy. Like Leto himself, the character proved to be fascinating, provocative, and controversial. He dyed his hair bright neon green, and to fully inhabit the role, he pulled off a series of wild stunts—like giving his co-star Margot Robbie a box with a live rat. "Playing The Joker is a huge honor for me," he stated before the film's premiere.

'Suicide Squad': Jared Leto as The Joker

Unfortunately, he couldn't escape comparisons to Heath Ledger, who played The Joker in Christopher Nolan's films—and those comparisons weren't kind. The film as a whole wasn't warmly received by audiences, despite featuring the captivating Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Will Smith as Deadshot.

Jared Leto transformation into The Joker

In 2017, Leto appeared as an anti-hero in the cyberpunk thriller "Blade Runner 2049" with Ryan Gosling. His character—the mad scientist Neander Wallace—advocates for reviving replicants (androids indistinguishable from humans) while destroying humanity.

A still from the movie 'Blade Runner 2049'

In 2018, Leto starred in the Japanese mafia crime film "The Outsider," which received mixed reviews. He plays an American officer who becomes a member of the yakuza.

Despite the negative reviews for "Suicide Squad," Leto was set to return as the character in a standalone Joker film. Todd Phillips's film faced many obstacles on its path to success, and one of them, according to sources, was Jared himself. He was reportedly so disappointed about being excluded from "Joker" (especially since Warner Bros. had initially promised him a standalone Joker film) and "Birds of Prey" that he allegedly tried to pressure Warner through his agents to cancel the project. Leto himself denied this story. However, he did appear as The Joker in Zack Snyder's director's cut of "Justice League."

Batman meets Joker Snyder Cut 2021

That same year saw the release of Ridley Scott's biographical drama "House of Gucci," in which Leto transformed into Paolo Gucci, head of the legendary fashion house. The role, however, "earned" him a Golden Raspberry for Worst Supporting Actor.

Jared Leto on the set of 'House of Gucci'

Alongside Anne Hathaway, Leto starred in the satirical miniseries "WeCrashed," which chronicles the rise and fall of the WeWork coworking startup. Jared portrayed Adam Neumann, the company's founder, whose business reached a $47 billion valuation before spectacularly crashing in 2019.

Critics savaged Jared Leto's "Morbius," branding the film an "absolute disaster." The standalone film about one of Spider-Man's enemies, directed by Daniel Espinosa, was released in March 2022, flopped at the box office, and spawned a plethora of memes featuring Jared Leto. The memes were so relentless that Sony actually re-released "Morbius" in June – only to watch it bomb a second time. The film lost $2 million domestically, and in 2023, "Morbius" earned five Razzie nominations, "winning" two of them. One of them went to Jared Leto – for Worst Actor.

Jared Leto Interview Morbius

Music

In 1998, Jared and his brother Shannon formed the band "30 Seconds to Mars". The band's sound blends alternative rock with post-grunge elements. Leto explains the band's name as a metaphor for humanity's proximity to the infinite and unknown.

Jared handles lead vocals, guitar, and most of the songwriting, while Shannon anchors the rhythm section on drums. The lineup also features bassist Tim Kelleher and keyboardist Braxton Olita. Croatian multi-instrumentalist Tomo Miličević rounded out the group until 2015.

The band's debut album "30 Seconds to Mars" was released in 2002. Their second album "A Beautiful Lie" came out in 2005. Their third album proved to be their biggest challenge yet. "This Is War" finally arrived in 2009 following a bitter legal battle with their record label over the album's delayed release. Ultimately, the band emerged victorious from the legal fight.

30stm – The Kill (Bury Me)

2013 saw the release of their fourth album "Love Lust Faith + Dreams," now without Kelleher and Miličević. The single "Up in the Air" was played from the International Space Station.

30stm – Up in the Air

Their fifth album didn't arrive until 2018. "America" marked a major departure from their alternative roots, embracing a more art-pop direction. The musicians collaborated with pop artists A$AP Rocky on "One Track Mind" and Halsey on "Love is Madness".

In 2018, 30 Seconds to Mars released their fifth album

Jared directed most of the 30stm music videos himself under the pseudonym Bartholomew Cubbins, borrowed from Dr. Seuss's children's book "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins".

Jared Leto's Personal Life

Jared Leto has always been famous for his romantic escapades, having dated his fair share of celebrities. To this day, he is considered one of Hollywood's most attractive bachelors.

In 1991, he dated "Punky Brewster" star Soleil Moon Frye. Their relationship lasted about a year.

From 1999 to 2003, Leto was in a relationship with Cameron Diaz. Rumors swirled that the couple was headed for marriage, but they eventually called it quits. Fans speculated about the reason: was it Cameron's skyrocketing career overshadowing Jared's, his jealousy of her co-stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise, or simply their packed schedules that pulled them apart?

Jared Leto and Cameron Diaz almost got married

In 2004, Jared Leto's girlfriend was the young Scarlett Johansson. They dated for about a year, but in 2012 they were spotted together at the Democratic Convention, looking cozy and holding hands.

This photo of Jared Leto and Scarlett Johansson has generated many jokes

Another celebrity who was in a close relationship with Leto was Ashley Olsen. The media often labeled them as "friends with benefits" – they looked like a couple in public, but Ashley hinted in interviews that they were just friends.

In 2008, the actor was rumored to be dating Paris Hilton. Sources close to the socialite insisted there was nothing serious between them, though Hilton reportedly found Leto "very sexy and fun."

Jared Leto - All Girlfriends (1991-Present)

The blue-eyed, seemingly ageless heartthrob later had relationships with Serbian film star Nina Senicar, Danish beauty Katharina Damm, stylist Chloe Bartoli, and in 2014, he was rumored to have had flings with Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.

During the filming of "Suicide Squad," Jared developed a relationship with Russian model Valery Kaufman. The pair has never officially confirmed their romance.

Jared Leto has tattoos. His right wrist features a graphic representation of his band, while his left displays the symbol from their second album – a cross with a circle. The latter was done by the famous Los Angeles tattoo artist Kat Von D. Two arrows decorate his calves, and both elbows showcase tattoos featuring the symbol from 30 Seconds to Mars' third album – the triad. On his collarbone, written in Latin, is Provehito in Altum.

Jared Leto Now

In September 2023, Jared Leto's band dropped their first album in five years, "It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day," marking their first release since guitarist Tomo Miličević left the group. The title track "Stuck" struck a chord with fans – the music video racked up 18 million views in less than a year.

Thirty Seconds To Mars – Stuck

In November, Jared made headlines by scaling the Empire State Building in New York. He scaled the exterior of the 102-story skyscraper all the way to the top to kick off 30 Seconds To Mars's new world tour promoting their sixth album. The tour will last from March to September 2024.

Jared Leto makes historic climb to top of Empire State Building

Leto covered the distance from the 86th floor to the top on the building's east side in about 20 minutes. At the top of the 381-meter-tall building, he sang a song from the new album.

Jared Leto: latest news and articles

It was this series that gave Jared Leto his ticket to big cinema, but it was quickly taken off the air

22 Mar 2025

Sandra Foster

Jared Leto is a super talented as an actor and as a musician, his role of Joker I adore!

2021-05-17 12:37:02
Todd Gibson

Recently I rewatched Fight Club and I was in shock to see Leto with a blond hair! I remember him only with that long hair he has now.

2021-05-08 15:02:47
Stella Stewart

Is that case when the person is getting younger with age :) I was following him before he made his music band.

2021-04-02 21:54:35
Michael Hampton

He is good but in my opinion he is more successful in music then cinema

2021-04-02 14:20:01
Samuel Allen

I remember Leto because of his role in Requiem for a Dream, it is a genius and cult movie and after that I found out that he is a musician.

2021-03-15 14:12:04
Clairey Echelon

Tomo has been around from 2003 to early 2018 NOT 2015

2018-09-13 11:15:19

Photos: Jared Leto