Jared Leto on Why He Takes Huge Risks: ‘I’ve Failed More Than Anybody’

There’s a lot that goes into what Jared Leto calls “immersive” (rather than method) acting. The Academy Award winner is well-known for his full-bodied screen transformations, and here reveals his thinking behind them—even though each has involved a completely organic approach, borne out of an obsessive curiosity around characters. Jared’s top tip for working actors? Don’t ask for permission to take risks and embrace failure. “Everyone’s got their process,” he says. “People should explore and experiment—you’re artists. Be bold, be brave, break some shit. And never, ever apologize for it.” Born in Louisiana and a student of visual art and filmmaking in Washington D.C. and New York City, Jared moved to Los Angeles in 1992 with only a couple hundred dollars to his name. After breaking into Hollywood with “My So-Called Life” and starring in “Prefontaine,” “Requiem for a Dream,” “Panic Room,” “American Psycho,” and more, he took a years-long break from acting to focus on writing and producing music with his