Jared Leto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jared Leto
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
Leto in 2016
|
|
| Born |
Jared Joseph Leto
December 26, 1971 Bossier City, Louisiana, U.S.
|
| Other names |
|
| Alma mater | School of Visual Arts |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
|
Works
|
|
| Partner(s) | Cameron Diaz (1999–2003) Valery Kaufman (2015–2022) |
| Family | Shannon Leto (brother) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Instruments |
|
| Labels |
|
Jared Joseph Leto (born December 26, 1971) is an American actor and musician. He is known for really getting into his roles, a style called method acting. He has won many awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Jared is also famous as the lead singer of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. He is known for his unique stage presence.
Jared started his acting career on the TV show My So-Called Life in 1994. He then made his first movie, How to Make an American Quilt, in 1995. He got a lot of attention for his role in Prefontaine (1997). Later, he focused more on music. But he returned to acting in movies like Panic Room (2002) and Lord of War (2005). His role as a trans woman in Dallas Buyers Club (2013) won him an Academy Award. Since then, he has starred in films like Suicide Squad (2016) and House of Gucci (2021).
Jared Leto is the lead singer, plays many instruments, and writes most of the songs for Thirty Seconds to Mars. He started the band in 1998 with his older brother Shannon Leto. Their first album, 30 Seconds to Mars (2002), got good reviews. The band has sold over 15 million albums around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
.jpg)
Jared Leto was born on December 26, 1971, in Bossier City, Louisiana. His mother, Constance Leto, has Cajun family roots. Leto is the last name from his stepfather. Jared's parents divorced when he was young. He and his older brother, Shannon, lived with their mother and grandparents. Jared's father passed away when Jared was eight years old.
His family moved around a lot across the country. Jared explained that his grandfather was in the Air Force, so moving was normal for them. Jared also has two younger half-brothers from his father's second marriage.
Jared's mother was part of the hippie movement. She encouraged her sons to explore art. Jared said he grew up around many artists and musicians. He added that creative expression was always celebrated in his home. Jared started playing music with his brother when he was very young. His first instrument was a broken piano.
Jared briefly left school in 10th grade. But he decided to go back and focus on his studies at the Emerson Preparatory School in Washington, D.C. He was interested in visual art and went to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Later, he became interested in filmmaking. He then moved to the School of Visual Arts in New York City. While studying there, he wrote and starred in his own short film called Crying Joy. He also attended the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.
Acting Career
Early Roles and Breakthrough
In 1992, Jared Leto moved to Los Angeles. He wanted to direct movies, but also planned to take acting jobs. He got small roles on TV shows. His big break came in 1994 when he played Jordan Catalano in the teen drama My So-Called Life. He starred opposite Claire Danes in this popular show. Even though it only lasted one season, it became a cult favorite.
That same year, Jared was in the TV movie Cool and the Crazy. He also got his first movie role in How to Make an American Quilt (1995). He later appeared in The Last of the High Kings (1996) and Switchback (1997).
In 1997, Leto starred in Prefontaine. He played Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine. To prepare, Jared trained for six weeks and met with Steve's family and friends. He looked a lot like Prefontaine and copied his voice and running style. Many critics praised his acting, calling it his breakthrough role.
After playing a British aristocrat in Basil (1998), Leto starred in the horror film Urban Legend. It wasn't liked by critics but made a lot of money. That year, he had a supporting role in the war movie The Thin Red Line. This film got good reviews and many awards, including seven Academy Award nominations.
In 1999, Leto played a high school teacher in Black and White. He also had a role in Girl, Interrupted. Then, he played Angel Face in Fight Club (1999), directed by David Fincher.
Critically Acclaimed Roles
Jared Leto played Paul Allen in the movie American Psycho (2000). His acting was well-received. In the same year, he starred as Harry Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. To prepare, Jared lived on the streets of New York City. He lost 28 pounds to play his character realistically. After filming, he moved to Portugal and lived in a monastery to gain weight back. Critics highly praised his brave performance.
Leto then appeared in the independent film Highway. It was filmed in 2000 but released in 2002.
Jared returned to acting in 2002 with the thriller Panic Room. This was his second time working with director David Fincher. He played Junior, a burglar. The movie was popular and made almost $200 million worldwide. Leto's next film was Alexander (2004), directed by Oliver Stone. He played Hephaestion, Alexander the Great's closest friend.
In 2005, Leto starred with Nicolas Cage in Lord of War. He played Vitaly, the younger brother of an illegal arms dealer. This film was supported by Amnesty International for showing the problems of arms dealing. It received good reviews.
Recent Films
In 2006, Leto was in the crime drama Lonely Hearts. He played Fernandez, co-starring with Salma Hayek. Critics had mixed feelings about the film, but Jared's acting was highly praised.
In 2007, Leto starred in Chapter 27. He played Mark David Chapman, who murdered John Lennon. Jared gained 67 pounds for the role. This sudden weight gain caused him to have gout and need a wheelchair. After filming, he quickly went on a liquid diet. Chapter 27 premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Jared's performance was widely praised, even though the film itself got mixed reviews.
His next film was the 2009 science fiction drama Mr. Nobody. He played Nemo Nobody, the last mortal on Earth. He had to play his character at different ages, from 34 to 118 years old. This meant spending six hours daily on makeup and changing his voice. Critics praised the film's art and Jared's performance.
More recently, Jared Leto starred in The Little Things (2021). He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role. He also played fashion designer Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci (2021). For this role, he received several nominations.
In 2022, he starred as Adam Neumann in the Apple+ series WeCrashed. He was nominated for Best Actor for this role. He also played Morbius in the 2022 film Morbius. In 2023, he starred in Disney's Haunted Mansion. He is set to appear as Ares in Tron: Ares and as Skeletor in the Masters of the Universe reboot.
Music Career
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Jared Leto formed the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars in 1998 with his brother Shannon. When the band started, Jared did not want his fame as an actor to promote the band. He wrote most of the songs for their first album. Many record labels were interested in the band, and they signed with Immortal Records.
Their first album, 30 Seconds to Mars, was released on August 27, 2002. It reached number one on the US Top Heatseekers chart. Critics generally liked the album, saying the band found a unique sound. It slowly became a success, selling two million copies worldwide.
It took two years to record their second album, A Beautiful Lie. The band traveled to four different continents to work around Jared's acting schedule. A Beautiful Lie was released on August 30, 2005. It has sold over four million copies and is certified platinum in several countries. The band toured a lot for this album, playing at major festivals like Roskilde and Download.
Their third album, This Is War, was released in December 2009. It received good reviews and reached the top ten in many countries. The band's albums America (2018) and It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day (2023) followed.
In December 2011, Thirty Seconds to Mars set a Guinness World Record. They played the most live shows during one album cycle, with 300 concerts.
Music Videos and Directing
In 2006, Jared Leto directed the music video for "The Kill" by Thirty Seconds to Mars. He used the name Bartholomew Cubbins for directing. He said he wanted people to enjoy the video without thinking about him as an actor. Bartholomew Cubbins is a character from Dr. Seuss books, one of Jared's favorites. "The Kill" video was inspired by the movie The Shining. It won an MTV Video Music Award.
Jared then directed the video for "From Yesterday". It was filmed in the Forbidden City in China. This was the first American music video ever shot entirely there. Hundreds of people in costumes were used, inspired by ancient Chinese empires. Jared got ideas from the movie The Last Emperor and the work of Akira Kurosawa.
His next video was "A Beautiful Lie" (2008). He directed it under the name Angakok Panipaq. The video was filmed in Greenland, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Jared worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council to make sure filming didn't harm the environment. The video was highly praised and won an MTV Europe Music Award. Money from the video's sales went to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In 2009, Jared directed the video for "Kings and Queens". It showed a large group of cyclists riding through Los Angeles at night. The video was well-received and won Best Rock Video at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
Jared also filmed "Closer to the Edge" (2010). This video showed tour footage and fan comments from the band's Into the Wild Tour. Critics liked its simple style. His next project was "Hurricane" (2010). This experimental video explored personal feelings and dreams. It received three nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
Other Work
Business and Technology
Jared Leto has started several companies. After seeing the strong connection between Thirty Seconds to Mars and their fans, he launched The Hive. This company helps artists with social media and digital marketing. It helps build creative communities. In 2010, Jared started The One and Only Golden Tickets, which manages special services for concerts and events. In 2013, it was renamed Adventures In Wonderland.
In 2011, Leto launched VyRT, an online platform. It's a live video streaming service that also has social networking. Jared got the idea after having trouble streaming his band's live events. In 2012, VyRT won Best Online Concert Experience at the O Music Awards. Jared also became an investor in Surf Air, a California airline. He has also invested in companies like Reddit and Robinhood Markets.
Social Causes
.jpg)
Jared Leto supports many social causes. In 2008, he supported California Proposition 2, which was about how farm animals are treated. In the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, he supported Barack Obama.
Jared is also an activist for LGBT rights. In 2009, he helped raise money against California Proposition 8. This law tried to stop same-sex marriage in California. He spoke out for the LGBT rights group Freedom Action Inclusion Rights (FAIR). In 2012, he expressed support when Barack Obama endorsed same-sex marriage.
Helping Others
Leto has been involved in many charity efforts. He volunteers at Art of Elysium, which helps children with serious health problems. He has supported the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, which researches type 1 diabetes. In 2006, he designed the cover art for an album whose sales helped The Nature Conservancy. In 2008, he worked with Habitat for Humanity to help repair homes in Los Angeles. He also supported Habitat for Humanity in Malaysia.
Jared has supported Aid Still Required, a group that helps areas affected by disasters. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, he released a book of photos from his trip to Haiti in 2011. The money raised helped the country. Jared lived in Haiti for a year when he was a child. He returned to help after the earthquake. In 2014, he hosted an event in New York City to benefit those affected by the earthquake. In 2015, Jared Leto became a global ambassador for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). He supports online fundraisers for them.
Personal Life
Jared Leto dated actress Cameron Diaz from 1999 to 2003. They were engaged in 2000. From 2015 to 2022, he was in a relationship with Russian model Valery Kaufman.
Filmography
Discography
- Thirty Seconds to Mars studio albums
- 30 Seconds to Mars (2002)
- A Beautiful Lie (2005)
- This Is War (2009)
- America (2018)
- It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day (2023)
See also
In Spanish: Jared Leto para niños
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
- List of awards and nominations received by Jared Leto
