Jared Leto is one of the most famous method actors in Hollywood. So it's no surprise that he got way too serious in filming his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Morbius. Ironically, the 30 Seconds to Mars vocalist can't seem to stand acting that he's walked away from it before (and maybe again this time). Before he does, let's take a look at his intense process of getting into his Marvel character, Dr. Michael Morbius.
Jared Leto Hates Auditioning & Making Movies
Leto once said that he "dreads" auditions. Luckily, he doesn't have to do them anymore. "If I still had to audition for every role I did, I don't think I'd be working because I'm not great," he told Backstage. "I think I've probably done some of my best and worst work in auditions, 'cause you do so many more auditions than you ever actually act in real life in the beginning. So for me, auditions are just dreadful. I get sick before them, I'm just a wreck." He'd even nap before auditions just to calm his nerves and make sure he doesn't get exhausted.
"It's dreadful and I feel for people that are still doing it," he said of those times. "I used to be so tired, as well, 'cause you were running around and you're working trying to make a living. I remember being so tired that sometimes I would try and fall asleep before the audition, outside when you're waiting, to try to help relax me. And what I realize now, it was actually some weird form of meditation. It was just bringing myself, relaxing."
The House of Gucci star also hates filming (yes, he basically hates his job). "Shooting the movie is the least enjoyable part for me. The two best parts of making movies is getting the job and finishing the job," he said in Variety's Actors on Actors. "I like the character build, the discovery. I actually like the time that I spend investigating. I think I just put too much pressure on myself."
Jared Leto Used Crutches Even On Breaks While Filming 'Morbius'
For someone who hates making movies, he's quite passionate that he used crutches while shooting Morbius even during breaks. "Yeah. Because I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he's been having this pain his whole life," director Daniel Espinosa said of Leto's intense process in a recent interview with UPROXX.
"Even though, as he's alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it's people's processes... All of the actors believe in processes. And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be."
When asked if Leto's process could be frustrating since it delays production, Espinosa said that he's never seen it that way. However, it's true that a deal was made to get the actor in a wheelchair and have someone wheel him into the bathroom because he was taking too long with the crutches. "It's more that I think the directors that don't like actors get really frustrated about that. I think it's really mysterious, what they do," the director said of method actors. "Almost all actors, in general, have their own reputation of being an interesting person how he works with their characters. I think that all of them have these traits."
He added that "If you want a completely normal person that does only things that you understand, then you're in the wrong business. Because what's different is what makes them tick. It's very hard to be able to say, 'I can take this part away and I will still get the same stuff from him.'" Espinosa said that he's "more to see like, 'Hey, if you're doing this, we have to do this." Unfortunately, Morbius is now Rotten Tomatoes' lowest-rated Marvel movie.
How Jared Leto Approached His Divisive Italian Accent In 'House Of Gucci'
Despite Leto's commitment to his roles, he's been slammed by critics before. In fact, DC fans weren't so pleased with his hipster Joker in Suicide Squad. Recently, viewers also poked fun at his Italian accent in House of Gucci, saying he overdid it. After being mocked as Super Mario, the actor later admitted that he made mistakes in portraying Paolo Gucci but that he's "learned" from it.
"An accent is just a series of mistakes. You learn how to say a word and maybe you don't say it 'correctly,' whatever that means, but it's just a series of habits." he told TheWrap. "It's the way your mouth makes shapes. Everyone learns theirs differently... The good thing about Adam is there was a lot of material out there, so he had hours and hours and hours of footage. [It was] kind of the opposite with Paolo Gucci, I had about a minute and a half of his voice in an interview. So in this case it was a blessing, it was beautiful just to be buried in the interviews."