Acting alongside the likes of Denzel Washington and Rami Malek in The Little Things is no small task. Jared Leto has come a long way since appearing as a rebellious teenager in My So-Called Life (1994). Thirty Seconds to Mars’ multi-talented lead vocalist could be called a more eccentric version of Daniel Day-Lewis; making headlines for going full-method for roles like Suicide Squad’s Joker—which often overshadows the fact that the oddball has cultivated one of the most impressive careers in the business. It’s impossible to type-cast him. From his devastating performance in Requiem for a Dream to his Oscar-winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club, we rank the very best Jared Leto movies.
Cover Photo: Warner Bros.
Mainstream mania: Jared Leto Clearly Dying to Get Pulled Into Spider-Man’s Billion-Dollar Web With First Trailer For ‘Morbius’
For example: Method Actor Jared Leto Actually Blinded Himself To Play Bad Guy In ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.
Follow Mandatory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Jared Leto Movies
-
9. 'The Thin Red Line'
One of Leto’s earliest performances was in The Thin Red Line, a fictionalized re-telling of the battle of Mount Austen, starring alongside George Clooney, Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Woody Harrelson, John Travolta, and more. Unfortunately for Leto, his character is killed almost immediately.
-
8. 'Panic Room'
Leto rocks cornrows in David Fincher’s Panic Room. He plays Junior, one of the burglars who break into a high-tech home in Manhattan occupied by Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart. His role as the wild-card, desperate to be in charge of Forest Whitaker’s operation is a catalyst for panic.
-
7. 'American Psycho'
Remember Patrick Bateman’s (Christian Bale) buddy? The one he “kills” with an axe while jamming out to Huey Lewis and the News’ “Hip to be Square?” That’s Leto.
-
6. 'Lord of War'
Leto plays Nicholas Cage’s younger (and more emphatic) brother in Lord of War. The former is an arms dealer and the latter is a drug addict with a heart of gold. As is the case with all movies dedicated to nihilism, things don’t turn out well for the flawed yet morally righteous character.
-
5. 'Mr. Nobody'
Leto plays the last mortal human on 2092 Earth, reflecting on his long life and the lives he might have led in Mr. Nobody. The film’s story can be frustrating due to its nonlinear and seemingly sporadic structure but ultimately commendable and has become a cult classic.
-
4. 'Blade Runner 2049'
As the follow-up to 1982’s Blade Runner featuring the return of Harrison Ford’s Deckard and starring Ryan Gosling, it’s easy to forget Let is even in Blade Runner 2049. However, the size of his role didn’t diminish commitment. Playing CEO Niander Wallace, Leto wore milky contact lenses to impair his vision so he could be blind just like his character—which certainly makes his antagonist more complex and the overall film better for it.
-
3. 'Dallas Buyers Club'
Let’s performance as an HIV-positive transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Even though the movie itself is more of a McConaughey vehicle, it’s also a paragon of what actors are capable of; going through severe physical transformations. In addition to losing weight, Leto shaved his eyebrows and waxed his entire body. His character, Rayon is a beacon of strength, mirroring a dedication to doing parts and stories justice.
-
2. 'Fight Club'
Fight Club is the definition of a cult classic. The film has become so popular since its lackluster release it probably should be considered mainstream by now. Leto plays Angel Face, the guy Edward Norton’s Jack beats the crap out of because the former becomes Tyler Durden’s (Brad Pitt) pet. I am Jack’s insecurities.
-
1. 'Requiem for a Dream'
Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream is as powerful today as it was two decades ago. Leto’s Harry Goldfarb is the gatekeeper to this world of drug addiction as he spirals out of control, becoming sickly and broken as the film progresses. Leto’s haunting and heartbreaking portrayal showed everyone he wasn’t messing around. That said, this classic is easily his most memorable movie.
