Jared Leto sent his 'Suicide Squad' cast a very disturbing item that creeped out everyone on set
Fans had overwhelming reactions to Jared Leto's portrayal of the Joker in Suicide Squad when he made his debut. His unique interpretation of the classic villain sparked much discussion on social media. Though opinions varied, netizens were captivated by the wild energy he brought to the screen. His spot-on depiction of Joker's wit, loneliness, and uncanny smile came second to none. But what is perhaps most interesting is how Leto prepped for the role. Reflecting on the same, co-star Viola Davis previously shared Leto's strange antics on sets.
As reported by Hello Giggles, the actress said, “He did some bad things, Jared Leto did. He gave some really horrific gifts. He had a henchman who would come into the rehearsal room, and [they] came in with a dead pig and plopped it on the table, and then he walked out. And that was our introduction to Jared Leto.” She added, "Now I'm terrified just as a person thinking is he crazy? But the second part was, 'Oh, I got to have my stuff together.'" It doesn’t stop at intense—it gets downright unsettling. Leto, or rather, the Joker, took method acting to another level by delivering creepy personalized gifts to his fellow cast members.
Every bizarre gesture was, of course, done in the name of getting into his character, which inspired others to explore their roles too. Davis continued, "You talk about commitment and then he sends Margot Robbie a black rat. It was still alive in a black box. She screamed and then she kept." He also sent Will Smith bullets and gifted Jay Hernandez a deck of cards along with a chilling hand-written note.
Leto’s preparation for Suicide Squad wasn’t just about unsettling his co-stars. The Oscar-winning actor once revealed that he also included more thoughtful and appropriate items for the cast and crew. During an interview, he said, "I did give some really nice, sweet gifts as well. I gave cupcakes." But with a devilish grin, he remarked that they shouldn’t have eaten the cupcakes. He also wrote each cast member a poem, using it as a way to understand who they truly were. As reported by E! News, the thoughtful gesture made the scenes feel more authentic.
As reported by Complex, Leto also admitted that the Joker's style was heavily influenced by his love of games and manipulation. He clarified that knowing someone's personality and what would genuinely speak to them is crucial when selecting a gift for them, even in real life. Leto found this to be a really useful activity that helped him develop his character. He maintained that the gifts were intended to be fun despite their initial creepiness, and his co-stars agreed. As reported by Digital Spy, Leto, who is renowned for his method-acting, goes to great measures for his parts, including drastically losing weight and maintaining his character in between the takes.
