DEF REC: The Worst (Best?) of Jared Leto

 

Top Three Over the Top Performances

For over the top performances and being kind of a weird dude in general, it could only be Jared. Mr. Leto has graced screens from an early age, delivering characters that range from young and in a fight club to finding infinite possibilities as *a* Nemo. Mr. Nobody (2009) is, in a word, trippy. Fight Club (1999) is a classic. But what are Jared Leto’s roles that stand out as the absolute craziest, most out there, and unexpected choices? Urban Legend (1998) may indeed be legendary (depending on who you ask), and Requiem For A Dream (2000) is critically acclaimed, but I’m talking about big swings that leave you questioning Leto’s sanity. Or rather, the mental stability of motion picture studios that still rely on his drawing power to make some box office bank.

For this Top Three list about putting the “meth” in method acting, I’ll dive into the broad and bonkers cinematic world of Jared Leto. Joke(r)s aside, I am genuinely a fan of his band Thirty Seconds To Mars and have legitimately enjoyed much of his acting. From high school drama in My So-Called Life (1994-1995), the yuppie fever dream that is American Psycho (2000), to his cornrow criminal caper in Panic Room (2002), Leto has committed his all to every project. For the trio of movies I’m focusing on, though, the characters have to be big and baffling. I have combed through his eclectic IMDb page and determined the best of the worst of Jared Leto’s powerful personifications. Each of these acting outings have laid on thick makeup and prosthetics, upped the ante with costume outlandishness, and popped with peculiar personalities.

Honorable mentions: Jared Leto going for it is truly a spectacle and when it comes to grandiose portrayals, House of Gucci (2021) blessed us with his take on Paolo Gucci. Leto’s design of this emulation of a real life guy resulted in a strange combination of Ron Jeremy, Waluigi, and a dash of Tony Clifton. The dedication to really making this Gucci black sheep look and sound like a cartoonish loser is greatly appreciated by me.

Tron: Ares (2025) presented us with a sentient computer program person. Gotta love the hologram hustle. Did this count as an A.I. allegory? I don’t know, but I liked that that living digital entity would choose the long hair and beard combo.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) was another example of Leto in a fantastical futuristic legacy (and belated) sequel. Niander Wallace is sight impaired and a tad eccentric and is all in on replicant reproduction. Maybe he could’ve created Ares! Like Hulkamania, my imagination is running wild.

I’ll break down the Top Three Best of the Worst (and back to Best) roles of Jared Leto. And then I’ll reveal which is the number one pick I recommend.

If you agree with me or think I’m a psycho, let me know in the comments - or visit jonmcbrine.com to find all the ways to contact me and make some recommendations of your own.

The Worst (Best?) of Jared Leto

Number Three: Skeletor - Masters of the Universe (2026)

Full disclosure: as of this writing, I have not seen the 2026 Masters of the Universe movie. Why include it on a list intended to showcase significant performances? Well, despite Leto’s appearance being heavily manipulated and altered by CGI effects, him playing Skeletor is the latest in a long line of wonderful Jared-brand wackiness.

Director Travis Knight’s rendition of the enduring He-Man franchise features Leto as the evil blue-skinned wannabe dictator of the fantasy realm of Eternia. The aforementioned computer animation and augmented visual effects essentially replaced much of the actual actor. Determined to make his skull-faced villain as nefarious as possible during shooting, Leto was said to have smeared blood-like makeup over his face and chest. Whether or not it added to his role’s intimidation and performance with scene partners, it beats having a dead pig around (more on that later).

I have mixed feelings about the MOTU trailer, but simply knowing that Leto is still up to his avant garde antics warms my heart.

Reason to Rec: If you grew up a fan of the original cartoon, you’re sure to enjoy this latest big screen toy commercial.

Number Two: Morbius - Morbius (2022)

It’s time. The time to morb. It is, in fact, morbin’ time.

Sony’s then-vigilant pursuit of MCU-adjacent solo Spider-Man villain movies produced an icon for all the wrong reasons. Jared Leto donned a lab coat as Dr. Michael Morbius in Morbius (2022), scientist cured of a rare blood disease who accidentally transforms himself into a “Living Vampire.” In an interview, director Daniel Espinosa revealed that Leto utilized crutches and a wheelchair on set even during bathroom breaks to maintain his character’s non-vampiric physical fragility. The filmmaker also explained how this methodical technique significantly slowed down production. Even though it is pretty much an insane thing to do, living vampires have to answer nature’s call just like everybody else.

When vamped out, Morbius formed rigid forehead protrusions, a set of proper fangs, and a sliver of a nose that would make Michael Jackson’s plastic surgeon jealous. The outrageous makeup and wardrobe added to the dark and dreary backdrop of the very loose comic book adaptation. While not intentionally a comedy, Morbius inadvertently spawned an Internet meme phenomenon with the infamous “It’s morbin’ time” joke. Though not actually uttered in the film, a time to morb is now synonymous with the character. The online gag of this being a fake catchphrase created such a stir that the film execs misinterpreted this attention for affection, mistaking the social media trend for a genuine demand for a theatrical rerelease of our pal Morbius. On screen, Leto sank his teeth into his enemies, but in reality, the box office numbers sank once more. It’s actually impressive to bomb back to back like that.

Reason to Rec: If you can’t get enough solo villain movies that set up a franchise that leads to nowhere - ultimately being a waste of time - then it’s time for you to morb.

Number One: Joker - Suicide Squad (2016)

When I first saw the promotional image of Jared Leto as Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime from 2016’s Suicide Squad, my initial thought was, “Sorry, Joker, we’re not hiring.”

Seeking to capture the psychological volatility of Batman’s longtime nemesis, Leto dropped into fully immersing himself as the crazed character. News outlets reported odd stories of the actor sending bizarre “gifts” to his co-stars, including a live rat to Margot Robbie (“Harley Quinn”), bullets to Will Smith (“Deadshot”), and a dead pig to the entire cast at a table read. If Joker Jared ever wants to send me a token of affection or appreciation, tell him a gift card is fine.

On screen, Leto’s performance was an extremely stylized detour from the familiar. This was an edgelord gone overboard. Adorned with a “Damaged” forehead tattoo, a chrome grill, and a cackle that sounded like a struggling engine refusing to turn over in the winter, this incarnation of the Joker was the epitome of being a try-hard. The erratic body ink, the slicked green hair, and the bleached skin culminated in what Joker would look like if he managed Gotham’s least successful vape shop.

The wannabe toxic gangster attire left a foul taste in audiences’ mouths, but I’ll say this of Leto’s approach - it was memorable. Possibly for the wrong reasons, but people still recall and comment on this DC Comics film. Heck, I’m writing about it a decade after its release. The Joker has long since ascended to zeitgeist immortality, and several notable thespians have put their distinct impressions on the iconic villain. Most of which are beloved, showcasing a wide spectrum of interpretations. For better or for worse, of all the live action, voiceover, and stage/theme park iterations of the Joker, Jared Leto managed to leave his unique mark on the Dark Knight’s arch enemy. He even got to reprise the role in a decidedly different visage in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021). This time around, Leto sported lengthier, greasier green hair and the white makeup was more smeared and his overall look was way more haggard. This Joker had been through some stuff. The brief cameo from an extended cut of the superhero ensemble movie served as a sort of redemption for Leto. Many fans praised this version’s vibe as it was taken more seriously than Leto’s previous time with the criminal clown.

Jared Leto has, of course, moved onto other projects so he’ll be fine. His oddball offering as the Joker will live on as what will probably still be referred to as “the worst Joker ever.” However, he will be in the public’s everlasting memory, which isn’t always the worst thing.

Reason to Rec: If you are into DC Extended Universe movies that are strangely similar to Ghostbusters (1984), then the 2016 Suicide Suad is right up your alley. It weirdly wasn’t similar to the 2016 Ghostbusters movie. 2016 maybe wasn’t the greatest year for movies.

Def Rec: Of the three Leto roles listed, the film to make time for is… Well, not all of the 2021 extended cut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but the “Knightmare” dystopian dream sequence. That singular scene is worth watching. The rest of the four hour slog, er, saga (slogga?) is up to you.

Def Rec Podcast coming soon!

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