Four women have accused Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto of criminal sexual misconduct, with the alleged offenses occurring when the accusers were teenagers. Leto, 54, has denied the allegations, stating in a released statement, "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false."
The allegations detailed in a BBC documentary and previously reported by Air Mail, involve incidents alleged to have taken place between 2002 and 2016. The accusers range in age from 16 to 19 at the time of the alleged misconduct.
One woman claims she was sexually assaulted in a motel bathroom at age 17. Another alleges that Leto threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19 and had been left alone with him in a hotel room. A third accuser states she engaged in underage sex with the actor in California at age 17, which would be classified as statutory rape, alleging he "shrugged off" a conversation about the age of consent in the U.S. state. The fourth woman claims she was groomed by the actor, who she alleges made repeated sexually explicit phone calls when she was 16 and suggested they have sex.
According to the BBC, this fourth accuser was allegedly sent a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to prevent her from discussing her relationship with Leto, though she reportedly refused to sign it. Four other women allege receiving strange and often sexual phone calls from Leto when they were younger. Another woman claims that at age 14, Leto instructed a security guard to take her backstage at a music festival after making a lewd comment about her chest during an autograph signing. The girl's mother confronted Leto, who allegedly repeated the comment.
Leto, who rose to fame in the 1990s for his role in the TV drama "My So-Called Life," has had a career spanning both acting and music. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club" in 2014. His music career with Thirty Seconds to Mars has also seen significant success.
In recent years, Leto has drawn public attention for his distinctive fashion choices and publicized stunts, including scaling the Empire State Building in 2023 to promote his band's tour. He also faced scrutiny for his method acting practices on the set of "Suicide Squad" in 2016, where he reportedly sent unusual gifts to castmates. His role in "House of Gucci" also received mixed reviews for his performance.
Despite the accusations, his upcoming franchise roles and concert tours are reportedly still on schedule. Leto's public image has evolved from a "Hollywood heartthrob" to being labeled an "attention seeker" and "cult leader" by some, particularly following his band's "Mars Island" fan retreats, which drew comparisons to a cult.