Kaiser has been covering Matthew McConaughey’s weight loss for the film The Dallas Buyers Club, based on the true story of a group of men suffering from AIDS in the 1980s who banded together to smuggle and distribute then-illegal antiviral drugs from around the world. Her take is that it’s not necessary to concern troll McConaughey about his weight and health, since he’s slimmed down so dramatically for a role. I agree, and think the same about Jared Leto. Leto is playing a transsexual in the film, you can see some photos of him in character here.
Remember when Leto got dramatically overweight to play John Lennon’s killer in Chapter 27? That was back in 2008. Now he’s going in the opposite direction, and from the looks of him he’s been as successful at transforming for his character as McConaughey has. These are some new photos taken by Terry Richardson, natch, in which you can see Leto’s weight loss. He’s also shaved off his eyebrows for the role. (I just thought he’d dyed them blonde, but they’re gone.) He looks much different, and has admitted that he’s achieved this through starvation, basically. This is pretty much what McConaughey said about his weight loss being “90% diet.” Here’s more:
Jared Leto, who signed on to the flick just a few weeks ago, has already undergone a dramatic transformation for his part in the drama — debuting a newly scary-skinny bod and shaving off his eyebrows — in order to play a transsexual woman with AIDS in 1980s Texas.
Despite his intense weight-loss process — Leto told Vulture at the IFP Gotham Awards in NYC Tuesday he’s been fasting for the last month or so — the actor says he’s more concerned with mastering his character’s grooming techniques, like waxing his body (and facial) hair.
“Your body goes through weird stages [when fasting],” he shared. “Sometimes it’s hard to hold on to water. But for me, it’s not about the most weight I can lose, it’s more to represent the character. I’m focused on what it means to be a transsexual woman.”
As hungry as he might be (he admitted to feeling lightheaded), Leto, 40, is also doing his best to look on the bright side.
“Historically, people have [fasted] for pursuit of self, to achieve a meditative state, so I’m hoping for that, and not the other things,” he said, laughing. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
Well he looks the part and good for him for being committed to it, but we’ll see how he can act. I haven’t seen him in anything for a long time (nothing I can remember really since My So Called Life. I guess he was in Fight Club too), and he hasn’t made a movie since 2009. He focuses more on his music career I guess. You know, the most I hear about this guy is when he’s dating someone or losing or gaining weight.
It will be quite a while before this movie is out, since it’s filming now. I’m hoping it’s critically acclaimed and a hit for McConaughey’s sake. I’m really rooting for him lately. Leto is just kind of strange to me, I don’t have strong feelings about him either way. He seems like a weird guy, and I’ve thought that for years.
Here are some more photos from Terry Richardson’s site, as well as Leto at an event recently. No eyebrows!
In April with fans at Coachella:
some photos credit: WENN.com
he is such a tool.
I’ve always thought that too. This might seem odd, but I’ve found that men I’ve met in person who have eyes too close together tend to have pinched, narcissistic, stingy personalities as well. Leto seems like that type.
My ex husband has eyes like that, and he is a narcissist. I didn’t even know what one was before I met him. But it turns out he was the biggest narcissist I have ever known. Wish I had known your way to identify it ahead of time, lol. That’s the trouble with it though, you don’t know it til you see it, I think.
What in the 30 Seconds to Hell is this??? Someone give him a burger and a Sharpie pen!!!
Ive actually met him at a party ealier this year at chateau marmont and he is a really nice guy who is very down to earth. We chatted about books and music etc. He is very well read and sweet. Don’t judge when you really haven’t a real clue.
I think he looks intelligent and sexy. I think he would be a very open minded and kind person too. What a cutie!
@ Arrow before throwing arrows yourself, I was only referring to his looks so far, it has nothing to do with his intelligence or else, now please don’t jump into conclusions and purposely extend onto another subject.
I used to work at a vegan restaurant he frequented. He was a jerk, rude to the waitstaff, and a piss poor tipper.
That guy is a tool.
in the final black&white pic, with the modified-T-shirt, he looks like one of those creepy ballet dancers in the horror movie, Suspiria. *yikes!*
maybe if Aronofsky or Millipied is considering a sequel to Black Swan: the Reckoning, they can quickly cast this guy before he gets his weight back.
He does. Like if Courteney Cox were a starving ballerina, this is what she’d look like.
Haha. I’ve always thought CC and JL looked like they could be siblings.
He’s 40?!
I miss Jordan Catalano 🙁
You took the words right out of my mouth! I thought he was mid- to early thirties.
If this movie ends up bombing, Jared and Matthew might go loco.
They should have to mud wrestle for a chicken wing.
Oh, Jared he was also in the movie, Panic Room, with Jodie Foster and KStew.
I sense a new fad: The Dallas Buyers Club Diet
Looks like every actor in this movie want to get that Oscar.
I give them credit for trying to be authentic for a role, but this can’t be healthy. There’s no way.
I always thought Jared was hot. I love me some dark haired, kind of scruffy men. Like he looked here: http://www.thelocalq.com/blogs/wonderyears/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/leto.jpg
Thank you for that picture, erinn!
I actually oggled it for a few minutes. Soooo attractive. I just hope after this role he starts to go back into sexy mode.
Gosh yes. Man, he was sooooooooooo sexy to me, once upon a time. I still love his music and the movies he’s done, but he isn’t sexy anymore. Still youthful, though.
He’s a dead ringer for Zac Efron, imo. At least in that photo. Pretty boys.
Oh yeah! Hope he gets back to this look after this movie. Always thought he was hot, talented and “Kings and Queens” is one of my favorite songs. Someone feed this man when he’s done shooting:)
On a slightly different note, I’m a little … not ‘worried’. Perhaps, ‘concerned’ is a better word in regards to these photos and the poses he’s pulling. I recognise those poses and the stomach sinew.
A couple of years ago, I would have saved these pictures onto my iPhone in the blink of an eye and stuck them up in front of my face whenever I worked out. I would have literally idolised them, even though he’s a man (and therefore has a completely different anatomy) and just … used them as a goal.
As much as I admire what McConoughay-hay-hay and Leto are doing for their roles, these photos are a bitter reminder for me, and I get the feeling they’re going to be extremely triggering for a lot of people with EDs out there. (I don’t subscribe to the theory that the media/fashion industry is to blame for the rise of EDs – perhaps they perpetuate it by providing ‘thinspiration’ for those who already have EDs, but they don’t cause them.) Anyway, moving on.
I’m not anti-body transformation for roles. I’m just a little wary of the two of them being so blasé about severely restricting their intake. That’s my interpretation, anyway. What I mean is, they’re not moaning and focusing on the negative.
And I know that the anorexic me would have twisted their words in my messed-up head into somehow justifying what I was doing.
I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this. I’m just going to blame Terry for taking the photos, anyhow 🙂
Definitely triggers here. I still admire Leto though, especially for the really effeminate poses he’s doing here-he’s obviously making an effort to get into the role so I can’t hate on him for that.
But yeah..if your point is that sometimes actors don’t pick up on the implicit responsibility that goes along with perpetuating an image of a bony emaciated frame, well, I agree. And I don’t think it’s a bad thing to bring that kind of awareness to their attention. Again, not that they shouldn’t do the body transformations for a role, just that they should understand the potential repercussions for people who suffer from EDs.
I don’t think he’s putting that much effort into the effeminate poses….it comes off naturally to me. (Maybe that means he’s really good at all haha)
I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s always kind of freaked me out. After MSCL, he’s always been a bit of an oddball that makes me feel uncomfortable.
I’m with you Delta. Those poses look totally natural to me. One of the weirdest people in hollyweird
Good points. And good for you for staying strong.
@ Amelia: My thoughts exactly and I’ve never suffered from an ED but I know those wretched tumblrs and thinspo blogs, the pictures posted there look exactly like this.
And frankly, this makes me angry. Because McConaughey did this for the character and to go from his shape to sickly skinny is going to involve being hungry, there’s no way around it. But he didn’t flaunt his body like this, he actually tried to hide it as much as possible from what I can remember. These stylized pics of Leto’s – let’s face it – emaciated body and sucked-in stomach? Glorifying the starvation in my opinion.
And something else. What do you think would have happened if Anne Hathaway had done this with Uncle Terry of all people when she was at her thinnest for Les Misérables? Sh*t, people would lost their minds and bashed the woman for promoting an unhealthy body image. And they would’ve been right.
Ugh. These people really have no connection to reality and responsibility anymore, do they? *steps off soap box*
Wow. I hope the movie doesn’t take months to film; the sooner they wrap it up, the better. I don’t see he would have the energy to even act.
Fasting is crazy. I did a 5 day detox fast last Spring–one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but by Day 4 I felt like a million bucks, but first 3 days were pure hell.
It also helped me quit caffeine for a good 6 months. Now I’m back on caffeine..boo 🙁
I quit caffeine completely for about two months. I went cold turkey. I felt so sick, and horrible, and angry. After I got out of feeling like I ‘needed’ it I allowed myself the occasional caffeine.
Before that I was drinking energy drinks pretty much daily at work. And I was not drinking nearly enough water. I’ll have the occasional coffee, or Pepsi now, but I think I’ve had maybe four energy drinks in the last 5 or so months, compared to the 4 or 5 a week I was drinking before, but my God, the withdraw was horrible at first. I can’t imagine starving myself.
Erinn-I was doing Red Bulls/Monster and those effin’ energy shots like CRAZY, every day, sometimes several times a day. It was really batsh-t.
As others below posted, it felt like what I would imagine detoxing from an opiate addiction would feel like. Ok maybe not that bad but the first few days with NO caffeine and NO food, just water and supplements. Gah! I wanted to cry. It really reminded me of how much I look forward to eating. lol
Tried a detox diet before my wedding. Nightmare. So impressed by anyone who can actually accomplish one. Major props!
I had a friend who did the same detox/fasting kit so it helped to have someone talk me through it.
I don’t know about you but on day 3, I was like “Why the hell am I doing this shit again?” lol I can see why people just give up..doesn’t seem worth the discomfort.
But by day 5 I felt like superwoman and wasn’t hungry or tired or sick-feeling at all.
I recently went on a low carb diet and the first five days were Hell. I felt like I was detoxing from hard drugs or something but I am on day 21 and I feel pretty good! My body has finally learned not to rely on so many carbs and I lost 10 lbs because of it 🙂
That’s awesome, congrats! Low-carb is no easy feat.
i wish I had the strength to do that. Good for you.
I went caffeine-free for a couple years after having a minor panic attack one night after a day of too much Starbucks. I remember the withdrawal well, horrible. During the day I felt like punching my coworkers and then I’d go home and sleep for 12 hours.
I’m back on the caffeine now, but stick to tea. I rarely have coffee, and never Peet’s coffee, which is pure liquid evil. So far, so good.
Kitten- what kind of detox was it & where did you get it?
I’ve detoxed caffeine before (I was a miserable BBB for a good three days with a 36hour headache. Now try to stick just to a latte in the morning) when I was following a clean eating program. Only fruits and veggies the first 12 days (preferable organic) and was feeling GREAT. Got loads of compliments after the 24 days. Try to be good, but there is soo much processed junk out there, sometinmes it gets hard to find stuff where you can read the ingredients…
but like to do the occasional cleanse. I think of it like maintenance for the body:)
He’s looking a little like Jennifer Connelly here. In any case, they look like siblings.
Did you see Requiem for a Dream?
Yes, I saw it. It’s disturbing, but I loved that movie. Jared Leto is actually a really good actor.
Right! I was just wondering, since you mentioned her. They were both awesome in it, as disturbing as it was.
Next time I watch it I’m going to be noticing the similarities in their faces and get grossed out on a whole other level, heh.
He is starving for an oscar not food.
Wow. That is gross.
I think that Jared Leto is a damn good actor. Most of the movies I watched with him were amazing and he always gave and interesting and deep interpretation. So maybe I will watch this movie just because of him ’cause on the other hand I find McConaughey just boring. The diet thing…I really ask myself if something so extrem is really necessary. There is so much technology and groundbreaking characterization techniques that I doubt that this would be necessary. But well, I guess that they do it in a professional way with the help of professionals and that they don’t develop anything from here, althought diet (or extrem diet) is indeed a factor that plays a role in the development of serious disorders by the false feeling of control that it transmits. I wonder if people would be OK about this if it was a woman doing this extrem dieting for a role…
Oh! And this trend that every extrem appearance change is already a reason to be considered to an Oscar is really getting sickning!! The fact that someone cuts their hair or fast till dead doesn’t really make them better actors.
It sounded like some people were criticizing Jennifer Lawrence for not doing something this extreme for her role in the hunger games! The only difference is most people would be saying how “hot” Jennifer looks instead of thinking it was unhealthy to go on such an extreme diet.
we live in a strange world.
I agree. I think he is a great actor. Check out Mr .Nobody!!!! He was FANTASTIC!!!!
Yay! Mr. Nobody! One of my favourite movies, ever. He was really great in it.
Gross.
Damn. I cant help but have insane respect for actors and actresses who will dramatically change their appearance for a movie role. That is some kind of dedication. I could never do it, too vain!
Oh, I don’t know…if someone was waving a big fat check in front of me I bet I could manage to skip a couple meals, short-term.
two things, Richardson is a talentless explotative perverted asshole who will do anything to provoke a reaction.
2.) the idiots who go through these extremes don’t even realize what a number it does on their bodies and I find it disrespectful to people who are actually afflicted and trying to get better when these clowns are distroying their own bodies for what… the glory and the accolades? I think Christian Bale did an interview where he talked about the aftermath of the Machinist and how his organs did a number on him and he is still struggeling with it.
Ms. Heart, I agree that they’re sending a bad message with their “dedication.” Seems to me if they had enough confidence in their acting skills they would not need to resort to such extreme physical transformations. And now it almost seems like a sick competition between MMc and JL.
Yikes!
He was EXCELLENT in Requiem For a Dream. It’s a hard film to watch, but really great.
Leto was great in Lord of War, I believe he can act.
I actually liked his acting in Lord of War. I didn’t care for his character very much (he wasn’t likable), but he did a good job.
Good Gawd that is frightening.
He looks so young for his age tho, but a friend of mine that knows him told me he doesn’t drink and is very very healthy. I eat very healthy and I would like to look like a 20 year old and all, but I’m not giving up my occasional glass (or two) of vino.
I’m a fan of Jared for the acting and not the music, so I just want to preface my story with that.
He was here visiting CSU during campaign season speaking for Obama, and I got to meet him later when he was having dinner. He saw my table gawking and pointing and came out to us (we were on the patio, he was inside) and asked us if we wanted a good photo (I was trying to take a pic with my iPhone through the glass). He wasn’t that thin then, or at least he didn’t look it but he had a bunch of clothes on. My brothers, my boyfriend and I got a picture with him and he was a really nice guy. He chatted with us about Requiem (a favorite in my family–he was awesome in it) and about politics, obviously.
While we were finishing up our conversation some frat boy walking along the street shouted “30 Seconds to Mars SUCKS! Emo bullshit!” and kept walking with his douchey friends who thought that was hilarious, except for one girl in the group who looked mortified. Jared rolled his eyes and when we remarked what asses they were he smiled and said, “the only way to deal with people like that is to have pity on them and let it go. You’ll never be happy if you get drawn in to pettiness.”
That was such a zen statement, it made me love him more.
That´s a sweet story, I´ve heard several times that he is really nice during those kind of encounters.
I have the same feeling about him, fan of his acting indifferent about his music.
Sorry to those who like him in advance…
I must be the only one who cannot stand this guy. He seems like an incredibly needy douche to me.
Same here Zoey
Also isn’t he a (former?) cokewhore?
Terry took a similar photo of Jared after he lost all the weight in “Chap. 27”.
http://cdn01.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2007/03/jared-leto-transformation.jpg
Speaking of John Lennon, has anyone seen Yoko Ono’s hilarious collection for Opening Ceremony?
I did! Lmao! You probably couldn’t pay a gay rentboy to put those clothes on.
he is awesome…i have seen all his movies…and he´s an incredible actor, and nobody recognize his work wich is a shame..requiem for a dream, alexander,lord of war, mr nobody so not just my so called life wich i´ve never seen
Scary as Hell.
“Dear boy, it’s called acting“
Famous words of Sir Lawrence Olivier to Dustin Hoffman on the set of Marathon Man.
Hoffman, a Method actor, didn’t sleep for days at a time and let his body become disheveled and unhealthy
Noticing that Sir Lawrence was a cool as a cucumber sitting relaxed in a chair, Hoffman asked how he was able to make his performance look so real.
“Dear boy, it’s called acting“ was his reply.
Bazinga!
I’ve always loved that story!
This! I was commenting below on exactly this point.
I think Jared has always had food issues. I think he is an anorexic. THis movie is “feeding” his mental health issues.
He actually looks very womanly. Perfect for the role. And if you have seen Requiem, you know he is a VERY talented actor.
Unless he is just playing his creepy self (which may be part of it…(see: Uncle Terry’s fascination with him)
Lord, he is My Kind of Strange!!
This weightloss seems to have made him grow Olivier Martinez’s nose.
meh…
Color his hair red and he’s a dead ringer for Tilda Swinton.
Congratulations Jared, you just made it to the hottest top ten list of the pro-anorexics!
For me, this dude is definitely only in headlines for his weight. Last time was when he got fat to the the role of John Lennon murderer and far more about him losing his weight to get back to normal (the getting fat part wasn’t so much wohoooed on at all).
Doesn’t it seem a bit extreme, this weight-loss-for-the-role craze? (That goes both ways, by the way, also the gaining weight for the role thing).
Why can’t actors just lose/gain a bit of weight and complete the look with makeup and costumes?
It all just seems too sort of “method” or something. It smacks of attention-seeking.
Just my opinion, of course.
Unlike McConnaughey, I always had a thing for Jordan Catalano but this is scary!
Err… Are we forgetting about Requiem For a Dream?
Something about this feels more about narcissism than about dedication to the craft of acting or about the important subject of the film.
What the f#$%k????
He is completely unrecognisable.
I’m hoping it’s all done under supervision. I was going to say ‘done in a healthy way’ but really, is this healthy? But it’s fair enough for specific roles that require this type of extreme weight loss.
I still can’t get over Michael Fassbender’s weight loss for one of his earlier films.
Still, I don’t get the hype over Richardson. He is so goddamn lame as photographer.