There are a handful of actors known for taking a rigorously method approach to their job—Daniel Day-Lewis perhaps being the most famous—but it’s not something one would expect from part-time rock star, and legit Oscar winner Jared Leto. But it seems that for "Suicide Squad," of all things, the thespian was so committed to his turn as the maniacal Joker, that Will Smith says he didn’t even meet the actual human Jared Leto at all during the shoot.
“[‘Suicide Squad’] is insane. I’ve never actually met Jared Leto. We worked together for six months and we’ve never exchanged a word outside of ‘Action!’ and ‘Cut!’" the film’s co-star Will Smith said during a Beats 1 interview with Zane Low (via Gamma Squad). "I literally have not met him yet. So, the first time I see him will be ‘Hey, Jared. What’s up?’ […] He was all in on the Joker.”
In fact, Leto’s commitment led him to seek out some advice from comic writer Grant Morrison, the scribe behind a handful of Batman titles including "Arkham Asylum," "Batman & Robin," and "Batman Incporated."
"[Leto] called me to talk about his approach to the character and I steered him in a few directions. I’m keen to see if anything other than slicked back hair and the Marilyn Manson vibe made it into his performance," he said to Comics Heroes magazine (via Comic Book). And is it just me, or is Morrison throwing some shade the actor’s way?
"Suicide Squad" opens on August 5, 2016.