Jared Leto Denies Sexual Misconduct Allegations After Nine Women Come Forward in New Exposé

Yahoo

9 hours ago

Jared Leto is facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct from nine women, according to a bombshell exposé published Friday by Air Mail.
The claims span years and include accusations from women who say they were underage at the time of their encounters with the Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman.
A representative for Leto has denied all allegations.
The accusations recently resurfaced after Los Angeles-based DJ Allie Teilz reposted an old Facebook status to her Instagram Story, writing: 'Youre [sic] not really in L.A. until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage… In a kilt.. And a snow hat.' She added: 'I was assaulted and traumatized by this creep when I was 17.'
Teilz followed up with a second post, stating: 'He knew my age and didn't care. What he did was predatory, terrifying and unacceptable.'
Among the other accounts shared in Air Mail, one woman said that 'it's been an open secret for a long time' that Leto was known to text teenage models. Another alleged that she was just 16 when she met him in 2006. According to her, Leto obtained her phone number and began calling her late at night, making sexual comments.
When the woman speculated he may have been using drugs at the time, a spokesperson for Leto pushed back, saying: 'He has not had a drink or used drugs in over 35 years.'
Laura La Rue, a model who also said she was 16 when she first encountered Leto, described a similar experience. She claimed he invited her to visit him at his music studio. In response, Leto's team said: 'Their communications contain nothing sexual or inappropriate,' and further stated that 'Ms. La Rue later applied to work as Mr. Leto's personal assistant, further underscoring the absence of anything inappropriate in any of their interactions.' According to Air Mail, La Rue denied ever applying for the job.
Another accuser told the publication she began texting with Leto while still underage, and that his behavior intensified after she turned 18. She claimed that during a visit to his home, he began masturbating in front of her.
'All of the allegations are expressly denied,' Leto's representative told Air Mail.
Leto rose to fame in the mid-1990s as Jordan Catalano on the cult hit My So-Called Life before earning accolades for roles in Requiem for a Dream (2000), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and Suicide Squad (2016). Outside of acting, he's found success as the frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, which he co-founded with his brother in 1998.
Known for his commitment to method acting, Leto sparked controversy with his approach to playing the Joker in Suicide Squad. He once told E! he tried to 'create an element of spontaneity' on set by sending castmates strange items—including 'used condoms' and 'anal beads.' The cast included Margot Robbie and Cara Delevingne.
However, Leto later walked back those comments in 2016, clarifying: '99.9 per cent of what people read is bulls*. There were no used condoms.'
The scrutiny around Leto's behavior has circulated online for years. In 2018, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody actor Dylan Sprouse tweeted: '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?'
James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy, replied with a jab of his own: 'He starts at 18 on the internet?'