JARED Leto has been a star for decades, but it's only now at 50 that he is fronting his first major blockbuster -- transforming into a vampire for new Marvel flick "Morbius".
Leto made his name in more independent and cult projects, such as his Oscar-winning turn in AIDS drama "Dallas Buyer's Club" or as a junkie in "Requiem for a Dream".
But he has no qualms about joining the superhero juggernaut with "Morbius", that is hitting cinemas around the world next week.
"You want Marvel to help pay the bills, then you can sneak in some other movies here and there," he told AFP during a visit to Paris.
"I'm excited. I've done a lot of smaller roles in bigger movies and made a career out of that, so it's interesting to star in a movie that's something new and different -- I like a big, fun popcorn movie."
Leto is not a total stranger to superhero flicks, of course, having taken a turn as the Joker in "Suicide Squad".
But now he is creating a character not yet seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Dr Michael Morbius is a scientist suffering from an incurable disease who accidentally turns himself into a vampire while trying to find a cure, and then can't stop killing people for their blood.
"He's not exactly a hero, not a villain. He's somewhere in between -- there's a classic Jekyll and Hyde thing happening here," said Leto.
"I liked that there were three characters built into one. There was a significant transformation between them."
- 'I never watch them' -
For once, Leto was spared the extensive make-up, unlike his almost unrecognisable turn in last year's "The House of Gucci", or the fake nose and teeth he used for his creepy serial killer in "The Little Things".
"Originally they wanted to use prosthetics with the monster and I pushed them to embrace technology and CGI. I'm glad we did because it gave us a lot more freedom," he said, referring to computer generated imagery.
"I worked with people that have rare diseases. There was a certain way of walking that's actually common with stroke survivors. I didn't want to just get a cane and have a little limp or something -- I wanted to make it specific."
Leto first became a star in the 1990s as the heart-throb in teen drama "My So-Called Life" and has popped up in lots of cult favourites, including "Fight Club", "American Psycho" and "Blade Runner 2049".
Not that he has seen any of these -- Leto hasn't watched himself on screen since the premiere of "Requiem for a Dream" at Cannes in 2000.
"I never watch them. The whole goal as an actor is to be unselfconscious. So I do everything I can not to be thinking about myself from the outside," he said.
"That way, I never repeat myself. Maybe that's why my characters are so different."
ETX Studio
Tue Mar 29 2022
"Morbius" with Jared Leto. - ETX Studio
Thomas Cup: Permulaan cemerlang buat Malaysia
Malaysia bermula cemerlang pada perlawanan pembukaan Piala Thomas 2024, dengan menewaskan Hong Kong 5-0 hari ini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Proses penamaan calon lancar - Polis Selangor
Proses penamaan calon bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu hari ini berjalan lancar tanpa sebarang insiden tidak diingini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pembangunan anak muda, wanita menjadi fokus Pang
Agenda pembangunan anak muda dan wanita akan menjadi fokus utama calon PH Pang Sock Tao, pada PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Kerajaan tidak bercadang gantung sementara helikoper Fennec, HOM
Kerajaan setakat ini tidak bercadang untuk menggantung sementara perkhidmatan helikopter jenis Fennec dan HOM.
Kejohanan Dunia Boling Padang: Tiga gangsa dalam tangan, misi tukar warna pingat
Skuad boling padang negara layak ke pusingan separuh akhir dalam kesemua kategori yang dipertandingkan di Kejohanan Dunia Dalam Dewan 2024.
Amerika Syarikat mungkin haramkan firma dron China, DJI
Amerika Syarikat kini turut sedang pertimbangkan DJI sebagai ancaman sekuriti, dan mungkin melakukan perundangan untuk mengharamkan DJI.
Bersatu ambil tindakan susulan terhadap enam ahli Parlimen - Muhyiddin
Bersatu sedang melaksanakan tindakan susulan terhadap enam ahli Parlimennya yang menyokong Perdana Menteri selepas meminda Perlembagaan parti bulan lalu.
'Made in Malaysia' - Apple punyai 19 kilang pembekal di negara ini
Malaysia merupakan salah satu negara yang mempunyai beberapa kilang pembekal yang menawarkan komponen kepada Apple.
SPRM lancar bilik gerakan PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
SPRM melancarkan bilik gerakan, bagi membolehkan orang ramai menyalurkan maklumat serta aduan berkaitan perbuatan rasuah dan salah guna kuasa.
WEF anjur mesyuarat khas di Arab Saudi ketika suhu geopolitik Asia Barat memanas
WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28-29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Zack Snyder's Justice League lebih epik, tidak seperti yang anda bayangkan
Zack Snyder's Justice League akan mula ditayangkan di 18 Mac 2021 secara penstriman di HBO Max.
Sony Pictures tangguh tayangan 7 filem gara-gara COVID-19
Produksi filem popular Hollywood, Sony Pictures antara yang terkesan sehingga terpaksa menangguhkan tujuh buah filem yang sudah dijadualkan menemui penonton tahun ini.
Sony Pictures lancarkan trailer pertama filem 'Morbius'
Filem tersebut merupakan adaptasi komik dicipta Roy Thomas dan Gil Kane pada 1971.
Ini yang ditunggu peminat DC, trailer pertama filem Joker
Kisah original watak antagonis arahan Todd Phillips itu dibintangi oleh pelakon Oscar, Joaquin Phoenix.
Digelar Putera Jenayah, ini pelakon yang pernah jadi 'Joker' di layar perak
Selain Joaquin Phoenix yang akan masuk dalam senarai pelakon yang menjadi 'Joker', ini adalah senarai pelakon yang pernah menjadi 'Putera Penjenayah' di layar filem.
Will Smith & Jared Leto diumum sebagai barisan pelakon Suicide Squad
Warner Bros menamakan barisan pelakon mantap untuk filem Suicide Squad.