Jared Leto has flatly denied accusations of criminal sexual conduct after a BBC documentary aired claims from four women alleging offences that took place when the women were teenagers — and when the Oscar-winning actor and musician was in his 30s and 40s.
Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret, released on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer, features a total of ten women accusing Leto of sexually inappropriate behaviour, with nine of them sharing their stories publicly for the first time. The alleged incidents are said to have taken place between 2002 and 2016.
What the Women Allege
The four women making the most serious allegations describe a range of incidents. One claims she was sexually assaulted in a motel bathroom when she was 17. A second alleges Leto threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19, after being unexpectedly left alone with him in a hotel room. A third woman alleges she had sex with Leto in California when she was 17 — which would constitute statutory rape under state law — and claims that when the age of consent came up in conversation, Leto 'shrugged off' the fact it was 18 in that state.
A fourth woman alleges Leto made repeated sexually explicit phone calls to her when she was 16, on at least one occasion suggesting they should have sex. The BBC said it had seen a non-disclosure agreement that was subsequently sent to the woman to prevent her discussing her relationship with Leto. She refused to sign it.
The BBC said it had corroborated a number of the women's accounts with friends and family who were told about the encounters at the time, and had in some cases seen pictures and messages supporting the women's claims. Two individuals who worked with Leto's band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, also appear in the documentary, alleging that staff felt uncomfortable about his conduct — including claims that he would sometimes invite teenage girls backstage to his dressing room or to the house where he was recording.
Leto's Denial
Despite repeated attempts to contact him during production, the BBC said Leto did not respond to the allegations. Hours after the documentary aired, a spokesperson issued a statement on his behalf.
"I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false."
A Pattern of Prior Allegations
The documentary does not mark the first time Leto has faced such claims. Last year, American DJ Allie Teilz alleged on social media that Leto assaulted her when she was 17. In a separate report published by Air Mail, nine women accused Leto of engaging in inappropriate behaviour, with one describing it as "an open secret" that he sent sexual messages to teenage models. Representatives for Leto denied those allegations at the time.
Leto, now 54, has been one of Hollywood's prominent leading men since the 1990s, with roles in major films including Fight Club, The Thin Red Line, Girl, Interrupted and Dallas Buyers Club, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. More recent credits include Suicide Squad, Blade Runner 2049 and Masters of the Universe. His band Thirty Seconds to Mars, formed in 1998, are currently touring Europe and are scheduled to perform in London and Manchester next year.
Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret is available now on BBC iPlayer.
Support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse is available from Rape Crisis: 0808 500 2222 (England and Wales), 0808 801 0302 (Scotland), 0800 0246 991 (Northern Ireland). In the US, RAINN can be reached on 800-656-4673.
