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‘Suicide Squad’: Jared Leto ‘Blew Away’ The Rest Of The Cast With His Version Of The Joker

By Shaunee Flowers
Published on: 04:30 PST, Mar 25, 2016

The Joker is arguably the most recognizable of the characters in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie by Warner Bro. Jared Leto isn’t the first man to suit up as The Joker, and he may not even be the last. Despite his very talented predecessors, it looks like Leto might be making it easier to argue that he plays the role best. Director David Ayer recently revealed that Leto’s version of The Joker is terrifying and that even the crew stopped what they were doing to watch him.

It’s no secret that Jared Leto is a method actor, and once he gets into a role, he doesn’t come out of it. According to Cinema Blend, when Leto is on stage, he is in character whether the cameras are rolling or not. Some may think that Jared is just trying to live up to the greatness that came before him as The Joker. There’s no denying that Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger are legends of their own, and their versions of the DC Comics character were phenomenal. Is it possible that Jared Leto plays The Joker even better?

“What Jared has done is absolutely incredible,” Ayer said. “When he steps onto the set the world stops. Everything stops. What he’s done is so powerful, so menacing, and so palpable, you can feel him. The crew stops working and just watches him. I have to get everybody going again because he’s so fascinating.”

There has been a lot of secrecy surrounding Jared Leto’s version of The Joker, with DC Comics and Warner Bros. instead pushing Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn for promotions. It’s likely that those behind Suicide Squad want to save The Joker for last to avoid comparisons to Heath Ledger and others who have played the role before him. Leto’s casting was controversial, and many felt that he would never be able to live up to the role because of the performances that came before him. Will Leto prove everyone wrong?

One thing is for sure: Jared is doing everything he can in order to become The Joker while filming Suicide Squad. One of Hollywood’s most notorious method actors, once Leto starts preparing for a role, he gets into it and doesn’t come out until the movie is done filming. There have been stories that Leto even went so far to get into his role as to send some pretty odd gifts to his co-stars, including a live rat, a dead hog, and bullet casings, according to Movie Web. Leto spends so much time in character that Margot Robbie and Will Smith haven’t actually spent time with him as himself.

Even though Jared Leto has dazzled in pretty much every role he’s ever had, the jury is still out on The Joker. He has been described as terrifying, brilliant, and even psychotic in the controversial role. Many wondered if Leto would be able to pull off such an iconic character. It’s no secret that he has changed the role up a lot from previous versions of the DC Comics villain, and time will tell if his vision and that of the rest of the cast and crew of Suicide Squad can pull off a winner when the film is released in theaters on August 5.

[Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]

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