Jared Leto brings Jimmy Fallon a creepy gift from 'The Joker' — taking his method acting way too far

His commitment to method acting became infamous after reports emerged that he had gifted his co-stars bizarre and unsettling presents.
PUBLISHED FEB 5, 2025
Jared Leto and host Jimmy Fallon attend 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' at Rockefeller Center on August 1, 2016, in New York City. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by J. Kempin)
Jared Leto and host Jimmy Fallon attend 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' at Rockefeller Center on August 1, 2016, in New York City. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by J. Kempin)

Jared Leto has long been known for his immersive approach to acting, particularly when he took on the role of the Joker in 2016 ‘Suicide Squad.’ His commitment to method acting became infamous after reports emerged that he had gifted his co-stars bizarre and unsettling presents. From a live rat for Margot Robbie to bullets for Will Smith, the stories surrounding Leto’s time as the Clown Prince of Crime were as wild as the character itself. And while some of these tales may have been exaggerated, fans couldn't be convinced otherwise after his appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ when Leto brought a live snake as a gift for the host.



 

When Leto appeared on the show; aware of the actor’s past antics, Fallon was suspicious when handed a mysterious black box. Leto explained, “The Joker is a big giver of gifts. Have you guys heard about this? And he was thinking of you and wanted to pass off this gift, especially for you.” With hesitation, the late-night host opened the box, only to find a baby snake slithering inside. Fallon, startled, recoiled as the audience gasped. He exclaimed, “Oh no, no, no, no, no…I'm afraid of snakes, a little bit.” Leto, on the other hand, remained completely calm, reaching in and handling the snake effortlessly.



 

As per E! News, the prank was just another example of Leto’s tendency to blur the lines between actor and character. The actor himself shared, "The only gifts I ever gave Margot were cupcakes. I think I gave her a mouse and some of the other guys got gifts that you'd get as a joke at a party.” Leto clarified that many of the stories were exaggerated. He stressed, "I'm playing a guy called the Joker, it's okay to play some jokes. Nothing ever crossed any lines…If I do something risky and you don't like it, basically, you can kiss my a--."



 

As per Entertainment Weekly, he insisted that the few gifts were meant to be taken humorously and were well received by the cast. "Any of the very few gifts that were ever given were given with a spirit of fun...and received with laughter, fun, and adventure. It's all filmed! They filmed it all! People were dying. We were just having a goof."



 

Meanwhile, co-star Smith revealed, "He went full Joker. And the rule, generally, is to never go full Joker. But, he went all in. He really set the tone. He wasn't playing with it." Additionally, Viola Davis previously mentioned in an interview that Leto sent a dead hog to a ‘Suicide Squad’ table read, which only added to the mystique. Robbie too admitted that she kept the rat Leto gave her as a pet. She shared, "If Harley got something from Joker, she'd probably cherish it."

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