Jared Leto accused of sexual misconduct by nine women

Euronews

2 days ago

Oscar-winning American actor and Thirty Seconds From Mars frontman Jared Leto has been accused of sexual misconduct by nine women.
In a report published by Air Mail, multiple women accused the 53-year-old star of Fight Club, Requiem For A Dream, Dallas Buyers Club and Suicide Squad of inappropriate behaviour.
The allegations date back to the early 2000s, with one woman calling it 'an open secret' that he texted sexual remarks to teenage models.
Allegations against Leto emerged last month, when DJ Allie Teilz shared an old Facebook post, written in 2012, on her Instagram Story.
'Youre [sic] not really in L.A. until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage… In a kilt.. And a snow hat. I was assaulted and traumatized by this creep when I was 17,' she wrote. In separate story, she added: 'He knew my age and didn't care. What he did was predatory, terrifying and unacceptable.'
One woman told the publication that in 2006, when she was 16-years-old, Leto approached her outside a Los Angeles café. She claimed Leto was sat with fellow actor Ashley Olsen – who was then 19 – and he had grabbed her arm.
'I looked down and it was Jared Leto,' she told Air Mail, adding: 'We had a quick conversation, and he got my number.' She went on to say that Leto called her home a few days later, recalling: 'I don't know if he was on drugs or what … It was the weirdest, grossest voice … [but] for me, it's Jared, you know?'
'And the conversations turned sexual,' she continued. 'He'd ask things like: 'Have you ever had a boyfriend? Have you ever sucked a dick?''
Model Laura La Rue came forward with similar claims, saying that when she was 16-years-old in 2008, she was at an event in a private residence in Beverly Hills where Leto was 'watching her so intensely'.
'He asked how old I was. I said, 'I'm 16. How old are you?'' La Rue told Air Mail. Leto, who was 36 at the time, then reportedly asked for her number. The two began an email correspondence, which resulted in her visiting Leto's home in April 2009, the outlet alleges.
'I remember him teasing me the whole time I was there,' La Rue said, adding: 'He was flirting with me. He'd lean in close, then pull away, like it was a game.'
She described a separate visit when she was 17 years old, where she alleged Leto walked out of a room completely naked. 'He just walked out, dick out, like it was normal… I thought maybe this was just what adult men do,' she said.
Another woman who spoke to the outlet said that she and Leto began texting while she was still underage. She alleged he would ask her inappropriate questions during her visits to his house, including 'Do any of the little boys you hang out with fuck you?'
The woman alleged that once, when she was 18, Leto had 'suddenly pulled his penis out and started masturbating'. She told Air Mail: 'He walked over, grabbed my hand, and put it on him. He leaned in and said: 'I want you to spit on it.''
A representative of Leto has 'expressly denied' the multiple accusations reported in the Air Mail exposé, saying the claims were 'demonstrably false'.
This is not the first time that Leto's behaviour has been questioned and called out.
Similar claims were made in 2005, when The New York Post shared a story with the opening line: 'Jared Leto likes 'em young' after he had been spotted with Olsen and Lindsay Lohan. At the time, sources told the publication he had been 'aggressively pursuing many of the teen models shacked up at the Maritime Hotel'.
In 2018, Metro reported on a Twitter post made by Dylan Sprouse, who is married to model Barbara Palvin. The post read: 'Yo @JaredLeto now that you've slid into the DMs of every female model aged 18–25, what would you say your success rate is?'
Guardians Of The Galaxy and Superman director James Gunn replied to Sprouse's tweet at the time, saying: 'He starts at 18 on the internet?'
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This week has seen one of the biggest moves in the fashion business with the iconic French maison Dior now hoping Jonathan Anderson will liberally sprinkle his magic dust about its men's and women's collections to boost its fortunes.
For almost a decade, the Northern Irish designer led the LVMH-owned Spanish fashion house Loewe – an unmitigated success story, increasing the brand's annual revenues fivefold.
Now, he steps into a historic role at Dior, becoming the first person since Christian Dior himself to serve as its sole creative director.
It's a major moment for the 40-year-old designer, whose journey began far from the runways of Paris. Born in Magherafelt, a small town in Northern Ireland, Anderson left home at 18 to pursue acting in the US. He later changed course and returned to Europe. Drawing on his childhood passion for theatre and costume, he decided to study at the London College of Fashion, where he graduated.
Last year, Anderson was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine, praising 'his innate understanding of how fashion and human behavior intertwine' and how 'his work is always ahead of the curve'.
His sense of cultural timing has been noticeable throughout the years.
Think back to February 2020, just before the world shut down, Harry Styles was rehearsing for the Today show in a colourful, patchwork JW Anderson cardigan. The knitted sweater quickly went viral on TikTok, where users began crocheting their own versions – unaware of just how much time lockdown would soon give them to perfect their craft skills.
Another example is Rihanna's headline-making pregnancy reveal at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, where she wore a striking all-red jumpsuit and breastplate designed by Anderson. The bold look subtly confirmed her second pregnancy to millions watching worldwide, creating a viral craze.
Or when Anderson decided to make then 87-year-old Dame Maggie Smith the face of Loewe campaign, showing that fashion doesn't have an age.
In a Vogue Business interview Dior CEO Delphine Arnault called him 'the most talented designer of his generation.' Praising his experience at Loewe and leadership within the group, Arnault added, 'He has great experience managing large teams, even though he is only 40. More importantly, he has a very clear vision for the brand.'
Anderson steps into the role following former creative director for women's collections, Maria Grazia Chiuri.
The Italian designer Grazia Chiuri was also celebrated by Arnault for her 'tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections.' Arnault said, 'She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women's collections.'
Anderson is competitive by nature – something he may have inherited from his father, Willie Anderson, a former Ireland international rugby player. Anderson sees clear parallels between sports and fashion, once telling The Independent: 'Sportspeople are extremely competitive – to win. And in fashion, when you see someone do something brilliant, it drives you to do something better… to keep outdoing yourself".
His parents have always been supportive. In an interview with The Irish News, they said, 'They believed in a kid who had monumental talent, and we were the same. We saw something in Jonathan. And then we went about ensuring in his early days that we could help him fulfil his dream. You'll do anything for your kid if you believe their dream is not something that's beyond them.'
His father Willie even admitted that he and Anderson's mother Heather 're-mortgaged the house to try and get him through certain points.'
In 2008, he launched his eponymous label, JW Anderson, in which LVMH acquired a minority stake in 2013. In 2015, JW Anderson made history at the British Fashion Council's Fashion Awards by becoming the first house to win both Menswear and Womenswear Brand of the Year in the same year.
The brand is known for blurring the line between men's and womenswear, often labeled androgynous or gender-bending, though Anderson himself prefers the term "unisex".
Thankfully for his parents and their home, Anderson has more than delivered.