Unsettling Facts About Jared Leto, The Man Behind Morbius
On the surface, it seems like Jared Leto has it all. Striking good looks, piercing blue eyes, a dedication to his craft, and a pretty impressive filmography. But behind the scenes, he’s definitely not your typical Hollywood A-lister.
There’s his wild dating history and his bizarre and intense behavior on and off set—but when it comes to Jared Leto, that’s just one part of his jaw-dropping story.
1. He Was Born Into A Desperate Situation
Jared Joseph Leto came into the world on December 26, 1971, when his mom was barely a teenager. They were dirt poor, and his mother was desperate to give Leto and his older brother a better life.
She packed up the family and began to live a nomadic existence—and turned Leto’s life upside down. But that one choice led Leto down a path that would change everything.
2. His Mom Was A Hippie
Leto’s mother was a diehard hippie. This ensured that as he grew up, little Jared was always surrounded by artists and musicians. At one point, they even lived on a full-fledged commune.
It was an inspiring environment—but it also had a brutal side. They were so poor that they often had to survive on food stamps. And money wasn’t the only problem.
3. He Lost His Father
Leto’s father was not exactly the constant source of support one would expect. He walked out on the family when Jared was still a child—but the tragedy didn’t stop there. When Leto was eight, his father took his own life. The family moved in with his maternal grandparents, and soon after, his mother remarried. The rocky road of his early existence led to Leto developing something of a wild side by the time he was a teenager.
It was this wild side that drove him to take a massive leap of faith.
4. He Took A Huge Risk
After briefly dropping out of high school, Leto discovered his love for visual art and acting. This caused him to straighten up and fly right—at least, for a little while.
When he was 20, he took a chance and moved to Los Angeles with only a few hundred dollars to his name and a dream of becoming a director and actor. Success didn’t come easily, but he refused to give up.
After some smaller acting roles, he finally had an incredible change of luck.
