Jared Leto's method acting on the set of Suicide Squad generated a lot of headlines, most of which reflected poorly on the actor. While the Oscar-winner denied many of the wilder accusations, it's clear he went to some strange places in an effort to bring The Joker to life in the DC Extended Universe.
Given Leto's reputation, you might not be surprised to learn that this was also the case on the set of Morbius.
During an interview with Uproxx, director Daniel Espinosa was asked about reports Leto was so committed to playing Michael Morbius in the Marvel movie that he would even use the character's crutches when he needed to use the bathroom between takes. However, this supposedly resulted in pee breaks that were far too long, leading to a deal being made that meant he was given a wheelchair to be taken to and from the bathroom. So, is that true? "Yes," the filmmaker said.
"I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life," Espinosa elaborated. "Even though, as he’s alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it’s people’s processes. All of the actors believe in processes. And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be."
The site put it to him that it must be frustrating for production to have been slowed down by Leto hobbling to and from the bathroom, but the director was supportive of the actor's approach.
"It’s more that I think the directors that don’t like actors get really frustrated about that," he explained. "I think it’s really mysterious, what they do. Almost all actors, in general, have their own reputation of being an interesting person how he works with their characters. I think that all of them have these traits. If you want a completely normal person that does only things that you understand, then you’re in the wrong business. Because what’s different is what makes them tick."
While some will be quick to poke fun at Leto's process, his performance as Dr. Michael Morbius ended up being a highlight in a movie that really wasn't very good. It was clear from watching that he'd committed to doing this character justice, and while Morbius spent too much time following Milo in that final act, Leto gave the Living Vampire side of Michael his all when given the chance to do so.
Check out what Leto told us about his transformation into Morbius by clicking here.