Jared Leto covers the January issue of Nylon Guys to promote his role as an HIV-positive transsexual in Dallas Buyers Club. I’ve never revealed this here, but Jared is a longtime crush of mine. Not only did he play the enigmatic Jordan Catalano in My So-Called Life, but he also embodied legendary runner Steve Prefontaine! A lot of people think Billy Crudup did a better job as Pre, but I disagree. It’s all about the Leto for me. Not even Jared’s current limp, slightly greasy ombre hair can distract me from his amazingness.

Jared has been all the buzz lately as the leading contender for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar and not just because he looks great in drag. Even Variety, which describes the category as “a hot mess,” admits that Jared is a “sure bet” for a nomination. Variety says not only is the nomination a deserved one, but it’s “one way to keep the Oscars young, even if many Academy voters have never heard of Jordan Catalano.” Touché.

Jared lost a ton of weight to play his character, Rayon, and he previously told Vulture, “My biggest concern was to portray a living, breathing human being and not to put a cliché or stereotype or caricature up onscreen.” Did I mention how Jared shamelessly hit on the Vulture journo during that interview? Well he did, and I am so jealous. Let’s do some excerpts from Nylon Guys.

He’s kinda shy: “I’m actually a very private person. If you read between the lines, you’re only going to find more lines. I’m not a reality star. I went to art school. I thought I would be an artist. That’s all I really wanted to share with people. I still feel the same way.”

Testing out his drag costume: “There was a time when I walked through the Whole Foods, and I remember getting three distinct looks: The first was ”Who is that?” The second was ‘What is that?’ And the third was ‘I don’t know what the f–k that is and I don’t like that. That’s disgusting.’ And it was great to get all of those things. Especially the third one-to feel the condemnation and the judgment. That was important.”

On awards buzz: “I never thought in a million years I would be mentioned with either ‘buzz’ or ‘Oscar.’ It’s completely mind-blowing. You don’t do it for that, but buzz is an indication that something worked. Like, maybe this one won’t be a heartbreak.”

[From Nylon Guys]

For some reason, Jared’s “method” way of walking into the grocery store dressed in his Rayon drag doesn’t rub me the wrong way. Method acting gets a really bad rap these days thanks to the likes of Shia LaBeouf, who manages to annoy even Brad Pitt. Jared was fully in disguise, and I doubt anyone even recognized him.

Just for kicks, here’s Jared’s appearance on The Ellen Show in October. Even then he was perplexed over awards talk, and he claims a lot of his body hair never grew back after shaving it for this role. Rowrr.

Photos courtesy of Nylon Guys