Before Jared Leto became the frontman for rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, he was a teen heartthrob that starred in a variety of well-received films. From Boy, Interrupted to Dallas Buyers Club, check out our collection of his best work on the big screen.
He first hit the silver screen in 1995 with an ensemble drama titled How to Make an American Quilt. He then appeared in a number of movies before starring as the drug addict Toby in Girl, Interrupted.
My So-Called Life (1994)
After guest appearances on a few TV shows, Leto found his first regular role as My So-Called Life’s Jordan Catalano. He starred with costar Claire Danes through the series’ 1995 finale.
Following that, he took supporting roles in Fight Club (1999), Prefontaine (1997), American Psycho (2000) and Girl, Interrupted (1999). He gained attention for his performance as a heroin addict in Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000).
During this time, he also appeared in Oliver Stone’s passion project Alexander (2004) as well as Panic Room (2002), Lonely Hearts (2006) and Lord of War (2005). He portrayed arms dealer Mark David Chapman in 2006’s Chapter 27. Leto continued to appear in movies until 2021, when he was cast as the Joker in the box-office smash Suicide Squad.
How to Make an American Quilt (1995)
In a film industry filled with male bonding rituals, Whitney Otto offers a distinctly feminine alternative in this adaptation of her best-selling book. The gomovies film stars Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Jean Simmons, Kate Nelligan and Alfre Woodard in a tale of the lives of a group of women involved in a quilting bee.
As she struggles to finish her thesis and come to terms with a marriage proposal from her fiance, graduate student Finn Dodd visits her grandmother (Hy) and great aunt (Anne Bancroft). As the women share their stories of love, loss and disappointment, Finn finds wisdom in their lessons.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
After a series of supporting roles in movies such as The Thin Red Line, Fight Club, Girl, Interrupted and American Psycho, Leto exploded to stardom with Requiem for a Dream. Ellen Burstyn and Marlon Wayans co-star in this visually striking film about chemically dependent people whose lives disintegrate rapidly.
Leto carries off the role of Brooklyn thrill seeker Harry with authentic scruffy anonymity. His chemistry with co-star Tyrone is a pure delight, and their scenes together when heroin gets a hold of them are harrowing.
The movie made Leto a major star, and he went to extreme lengths to prepare for the role – losing 28 pounds and living on the streets with junkies to get into character. His next film was Panic Room (2002), followed by Oliver Stone’s epic passion project Alexander (2004) and Lord of War (2005). He also appeared in Lonely Hearts (2006) and portrayed John Lennon’s killer Mark David Chapman in Chapter 27 (2007).
Panic Room (2002)
Jared Leto made his television debut in 1992, and he quickly secured guest roles on short-lived series such as Camp Wilder (1994) and Almost Home (1996). His big break came when he was cast as slacker heartthrob Jordan Catalano in the critically acclaimed teen drama My So-Called Life.
He then appeared in the British historical film The Last of the High Kings (1996) and a supporting role in the action flick Switchback (1997) with Dennis Quaid. He also starred in the well-received biopic Prefontaine (1997) and the period drama Basil (1998).
Panic Room (2002), directed by David Fincher, offered Leto the chance to showcase his talent as an actor. His performance in this thriller is tight and taut, even if the film lacks levity.
Lord of War (2005)
Leto began his acting career with minor roles in television and film before earning critical acclaim as the slacker heartthrob Jordan Catalano in the teen drama series My So-Called Life (1994–95). He appeared in several films, including the thriller Switchback (1997).
The 2000s brought a string of films that showcased Leto’s acting skills, beginning with the thriller Panic Room (2002) and Oliver Stone’s passion project Alexander (2004). He also played a heroin addict in Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Dallas Buyers Club, a true-crime story about an AIDS-stricken transgender woman, earned him both critical and commercial success. The following year, he took on the role of the Joker in the DC Comics antihero flick Suicide Squad (2016). Leto also starred in 2021’s The Little Things and House of Gucci, a true-crime drama about a family and its luxury fashion brand.
Lonely Hearts (2006)
After gaining praise for his supporting role in the film Fight Club (1998), Leto began to take more prominent roles in films. He gained attention for his performance as a heroin addict in Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000), and starred in Girl, Interrupted (1999). He then portrayed a trans woman in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
In this lurid love story, Leto stars as Ray Fernandez, one half of the Long Island couple that called themselves the “Lonely Hearts Killers” in the 1940s. Salma Hayek co-stars as Beck, the other grifter and ruthless killer. The film is bloody and sadistic, but with sketchy pacing and thin characters, it never fully engages viewers. The movie received mixed reviews.
Chapter 27 (2013)
Jared Leto is one of Hollywood’s most method actors, pulling out all the stops to get under the skin of his characters. From losing 40 lbs to play a transgender AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club to going as far as contracting gout for his role as Mark David Chapman in Chapter 27, the actor’s dedication to the craft is unmatched.
After making his television debut in the teen drama TV series My So-Called Life, Leto moved to feature films, starring in the boxing film Fight Club (1998) and the period romance Basil (1999). He also appeared in the slasher movie Urban Legend and the critically acclaimed biopic Prefontaine (1997). He returned to acting in 2002 with the thriller Panic Room. He has since starred in a number of movies, including the science fiction sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and the DC Comics antihero flick Suicide Squad (2016).
