Jared Leto is one of the several Hollywood actors whose names have come to be associated with “method acting.” But he often goes overboard while playing a character, and that’s exactly what happened on the set of his latest film, Morbius. In a recent interview with Uproxx, director Daniel Espinosa confirmed a story about Leto using crutches even to use the bathroom while filming Morbius.
In the film, Jared Leto plays Dr. Michael Morbius, a scientist suffering from a rare blood disease who gains vampiric abilities while attempting to cure himself. Due to his frail condition, Morbius has to use arm crutches to walk, and to understand the character’s pain better, Leto put himself through a similar ordeal.
But this turned out to be a significant burden on the film’s crew. Leto would use crutches and slowly limp to get to the bathroom during filming. This process started taking so much time that a deal had to be made with Leto to use a wheelchair, and he agreed to be wheeled to the restroom. When asked if these reports were accurate, Espinosa simply replied, “yes” before giving his take on Leto’s outlandish acting techniques.
"Yeah. Because I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life. Even though, as he’s alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it’s people’s processes."
“All of the actors believe in processes. And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be,” Espinosa added, supporting Leto. Several renowned actors have employed method acting, including Marlon Brando and Daniel Day-Lewis, and it works most of the time. Simply put, method acting involves identifying, understanding, and experiencing a character’s inner motivations and emotions, which can sometimes include staying in character even when the cameras are not rolling. This technique is also quite controversial, as actors often get carried away while doing it, affecting their well-being and that of their peers.
Jared Leto Has Had a Hit and Miss Record With His Acting Performances Since 2014
Jared Leto is one of the few actors who is a recipient of both the Academy Award and the Razzie Award, which he recently won for his portrayal of Paolo Gucci in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci. Leto received widespread critical acclaim for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, where he played a trans woman with HIV. Leto went so far as to lose 30 lbs and shave his entire body, including his eyebrows, to portray the character.
Leto’s approach worked that time but got him into trouble a few years later in Suicide Squad. He reportedly sent a pig carcass, live rats, and used condoms to the cast. Leto has since refuted these reports, calling them fake news.
While Jared Leto’s Morbius performance is one of the highlights in an otherwise lackluster film, as per the critics, it still isn’t enough to save Morbius from being counted among the likes of Fantastic Four and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Sony’s plans for a shared Spider-Man universe are likely to take a big hit due to Morbius’s reception, and hopefully, the upcoming Kraven the Hunter and Madam Web will fare better.
Starring Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Adria Arjona, Tyrese Gibson, and Michael Keaton, alongside Jared Leto in the lead, Morbius is currently playing in theaters worldwide.