Jared Leto, a figure known for both his intense method acting and his music career as the frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, has been a fixture in Hollywood for decades. His roles in iconic films such as Suicide Squad (2016), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and Requiem for a Dream (2000) have cemented his status as a versatile actor.
Leto’s most recent involvement with Disney includes portraying the Hatbox Ghost in Haunted Mansion (2023) and his upcoming role in Tron: Ares, scheduled for release in October 2025.
Related: Jared Leto Blurs the Line Between Worlds in First Trailer for Tron: Ares
However, Leto’s career is now under scrutiny after serious sexual misconduct allegations surfaced. According to an investigation by Air Mail, nine women have accused the actor of inappropriate behavior, some of which allegedly took place when the women were as young as 16.
These new allegations shine a troubling light on Leto’s past, raising questions about his personal conduct and the extent to which his fame may have enabled such behavior to go unchecked.
The accusations against Leto are not entirely new. A 2005 New York Post article famously described Leto’s rumored preference for young women, specifically calling out his alleged interactions with underage girls.
Related: Disney Doubles Down on a Dying Franchise…and Jared Leto
The Air Mail report indicates that Leto’s alleged behavior toward young women was not isolated, but rather part of a long-standing pattern that some say has been “widely known” in certain circles for years.
One accuser, who came forward with her story, stated that Leto’s actions were “an open secret” in Hollywood at the time.
Twenty years later, the women I spoke to say Leto’s alleged past behavior was not a phase but rather part of a long-standing pattern—one that was and continues to be widely known in some circles and, generally, quietly accepted. “It’s been an open secret for a long time,” one of the women tells me.
One of the most disturbing accounts comes from model Laura La Rue, who claims that Leto acted inappropriately toward her when she was just 16. La Rue attended an animal-rights benefit in Beverly Hills in 2008 when Leto allegedly approached her and, according to La Rue.
In 2008, the model Laura La Rue, also 16 at the time, had a similar encounter. At Yes! on Prop Two, an animal-rights benefit held at a private residence in Beverly Hills, La Rue remembers Leto spotting her from across the room. He was watching her so intensely, she says, that her mother, who was also at the benefit, noticed.
Flattered by the star’s attention, La Rue says, she continued to visit Leto sporadically over the next few months. On one occasion, she alleges, he walked out of a room completely naked. “He just walked out, dick out, like it was normal,” she says. La Rue didn’t know what to think—she was 17 when the incident took place. “I thought maybe this was just what adult men do,” she says.
Related: Video: Star-Powered ‘Haunted Mansion’ Cast Shares Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Film
Other women have reported more disturbing encounters with Leto. One actress, who began texting with Leto as a teenager, recalled a particularly harrowing experience at his home when she was 18. She described how Leto allegedly exposed himself to her and made sexual advances, including coercing her to engage in acts she was not comfortable with.
The allegations resurfaced recently when DJ Allie Tielz posted on Instagram, recounting an incident from 2012 when Leto allegedly assaulted her backstage at a club in Los Angeles. Tielz, who was 17 at the time, described the encounter as predatory, asserting that Leto knew her age but still acted inappropriately.
“Youre [sic] not really in L.A. until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage… In a kilt.. And a snow hat.”
“I was assaulted and traumatized by this creep when I was 17,” she wrote in another Instagram story. “He knew my age and didn’t care. What he did was predatory, terrifying and unacceptable.”
She added a comment: “Throwback to 2012, Jared Leto was a creep then … still a creep now, going on 15+ years of being Hollywood’s most persistent predator in a kilt.” And another: “29+ years of being a pedophile. when does this end? protect our girls 💗 #jaredleto.”
These new claims add to the growing list of accusations against Leto, but the actor’s representatives have firmly denied all allegations. Leto’s notorious reputation as a method actor—known for immersing himself deeply into his roles—has also been a point of contention.
His extreme approach to acting has reportedly made many co-stars uncomfortable, with reports suggesting that Leto would send strange, sometimes disturbing gifts, such as used condoms and dead animals, to his fellow actors.
What do you think should happen next for Jared Leto? Should these allegations be further investigated by authorities? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation.
