Jared Leto has long had a reputation problem. The public side of it was bad enough—while playing The Joker in 2016’s Suicide Squad, he reportedly sent rats, dead pigs, and used condoms to his castmates. But for years, there have been disturbing rumors about his private behavior. After a lengthy investigation, the BBC documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret has finally brought at least some of them to light.
As you might expect, this isn’t an easy watch. The film presents allegations of what is said to be decades of systematic criminal misconduct targeting teenage girls. The women interviewed here claim sexual assault, threats of sexual assault, sexual grooming, and statutory rape. They are supported by anonymous male former coworkers who say they witnessed the system Leto set up to find underage girls at concerts.
What’s especially frustrating about Hollywood’s Dark Secret is that this isn’t the first time someone has tried to investigate these claims. As far back as 2005, the New York Post ran gossip columns claiming he was “aggressively pursuing” what they called “underage objects of desire” at a New York hotel. By 2018, actor Dylan Sprouse and director James Gunn were joking online about Leto’s interest in teenage girls. Last year, Air Mail’s Elena Clavarino spoke to nine women who variously claimed that Leto pursued them, had sexually explicit phone conversations with them, exposed himself to them, and masturbated in front of them—all while they were underage.
When that report came out, Leto’s representatives denied it. It seemed like everything went on as usual. He promoted his movie. He toured with his band. For a while, it seemed like the world had blinked and moved on.
But something with the weight of Hollywood’s Dark Secret will be harder to ignore. Released on YouTube and the BBC to reach as many people as possible, it’s a disturbing look at what is alleged to be a deeply unsettling pattern of behavior. Jessica Sartenaer and her team have built a case that feels thoroughly investigated. Clearly, it often takes a long time for allegations like this to come to light because of a culture of silence. People are often afraid to speak out due to shame or fear of retaliation, and many people have a financial interest in keeping the Jared Leto machine running as long as possible.
That Sartenaer was able to find four women and ease their fears enough to let them show their faces on camera says a lot. We should let their testimonies speak for themselves (this is a documentary that really deserves to be watched, not just read about), but their bravery deserves recognition.
Although these events happened years ago—the women are now in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—it’s hard to watch them recount what they experienced when they were underage. Some of their stories follow the classic Hollywood predator playbook, with Leto’s team arranging meetings in dingy hotel rooms. Others are more puzzling, like the woman who, at 16, received sexually explicit calls from Leto, only to then get similar calls from a man she believes was Leto pretending to be someone else.
Taken together, these stories are paired with archive footage of concerts where Leto has his arms around young girls, talk show appearances where he brags about sleeping with fans, and one particularly unsettling clip where he quotes the old Dazed and Confused line about high school girls: “I keep getting older, but they stay the same age.”The effect is deeply unsettling.
Up until now, Leto has seemed untouchable when it comes to allegations like these, but you can’t help feeling that this film will finally land a blow. Of course, it’s worth noting that the timing of the documentary might work in its favor. Leto is no longer the box office draw he used to be. Last year’s Tron: Ares reportedly lost around $130 million, and his latest film, Masters of the Universe, is one of the biggest flops of the year so far. It doesn’t reflect well on Hollywood that it only turns on alleged sexual predators once their commercial value has dropped, but better late than never.
Leto declined to comment to Sartenaer and her team, unlike the strong denial he gave after the Air Mail investigation. Maybe that’s a sign that the floodgates are finally about to open.
Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret is available now on BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
Support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse is available from the following organizations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support at 0808 500 2222 (England and Wales), 0808 801 0302 (Scotland), or 0800 0246 991 (Northern Ireland). In the US, Rainn offers support at 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the review of Jared Leto Hollywoods Dark Secret written in a natural conversational tone
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What is the Jared Leto Hollywoods Dark Secret review about
Its a critical look at allegations of abusive behavior by actor Jared Leto focusing on stories from people who worked with him or were in his orbit The review describes these accounts as deeply disturbing
2 Is this a documentary or a written article
Its a written reviewlikely from a newspaper or film siteof a documentary or investigative piece The title suggests the review is responding to a specific exposé about Letos conduct
3 What kind of abuse does the review talk about
The review covers claims of emotional manipulation sexual misconduct and power abuse particularly involving young fans and women in the entertainment industry It highlights patterns of predatory behavior
4 Why is the review described as deeply disturbing
Because the stories include graphic details of coercion grooming and exploitation The reviewer finds the accounts unsettling and hard to read
5 Is Jared Leto responding to these allegations
The review likely notes that Leto or his representatives have denied or not commented on specific claims
IntermediateLevel Questions
6 Does the review focus on Letos band 30 Seconds to Mars or his acting career
Primarily his acting career and personal interactions though it may touch on his bands fan culture The focus is on his behavior behind the scenes not his music
7 What specific examples does the review cite
It references alleged incidents with underage fans inappropriate behavior on film sets and psychological manipulation One example often mentioned is his reported grooming of young women through social media
8 Is this review part of a larger investigation or trend
Yes It follows a broader MeTooera pattern of reexamining powerful figures in Hollywood Several outlets have published similar exposes on Leto in recent years
9 How credible are the sources in the review
The review likely relies on named accusers leaked messages and court documents However credibility variessome sources are anonymous which the review may acknowledge as a limitation
