This week, the BBC published an investigation they’ve been conducting for months. Their investigation is into the long-rumored sleazy, criminal and predatory behavior of Jared Leto. For years, women have been sharing their stories about Leto on social media and online forums, and last year, Air Mail spoke to some of Leto’s accusers. All of them have similar stories – that Leto either approached them in real life when they were teenagers, or he found ways to groom them online. The BBC’s report and documentary were even clearer, and they confirmed details of various assaults via the women’s records. Well, hours after the BBC’s report came out, Leto responded to the accusations.

Jared Leto has responded to allegations of criminal sexual conduct leveled against him by several women in a BBC documentary, declaring them to be “categorically false.”

“Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Darkest Secret” was released on Wednesday and featured a total of 10 women who came forward with allegations against the actor and singer. Four women alleged that the offenses occurred when they were teenagers.

In the documentary, one of the women accuses the Oscar winner of assaulting her in a motel bathroom when she was 17. Another claims Leto threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19. A third describes how she allegedly had sex with Leto in California when she was 17, under the age of consent, which therefore would be classified as statutory rape. A fourth women alleges Leto made repeated sexually explicit phone calls to her when she was 16 and, on at least one occasion, suggested that they should have sex.

All the women that feature in “Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret” claim the interactions occurred between 2002 and 2016, when the actor, now 54, was in his 30s and 40s.

“I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life,” said Leto in a statement provided by his reps. “These claims are absolutely and categorically false.”

The BBC said it has corroborated “a number of the women’s accounts with friends and family who were told about the encounters with Leto at the time,” and in some cases, has also seen pictures and messages that “support the women’s accounts.”

[From Variety]

I believe the women. I believe their stories. That being said, I do not have a good read on what, if anything, Leto is doing and saying behind the scenes. Leto has clearly dealt with these accusations for years, but the stories always just disappear when it comes time for Leto to sign on to some new movie. He’s issued blanket denials before and seemingly just left it at that. He doesn’t even come across as particularly bothered by these accusations nor does he seem defiant. I don’t even know if Leto has a lawyer or a crisis manager on retainer. Oh, and don’t forget the weirdness around his “cult” – a supposed wellness retreat on an island in Croatia. I’m sure those women have got some stories too.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.