Jared Leto thinks harrowing movie is the reason he hasn't cried in 17 years

Jared Leto says he hasn’t cried in almost two decades and reckons it could be something to do with a highly emotional movie he made back in 2000.

The 51-year-old Hollywood star appeared on the Jo Whiley show on BBC Radio 2 on Wednesday (May 31) when he revealed that it had been ‘about 17 years’ since he had last shed a tear, which was for a very relatable reason.

Leto said: “I haven’t cried in about 17 years, the last time was because I stubbed my toe.”

Yep, that sure will bring a tear to your eye.

When asked why he wasn’t a crier these days, he replied: “I’m just like a lizard. I don’t think my tear ducts work properly.

“Maybe I shed them all in Requiem for a Dream or something? I cried so much during the making of that movie.”

For those who can’t quite remember, Leto played heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream, which also starred Ellen Burstyn, Christopher McDonald, Marlon Wayans and Jennifer Connelly.

The psychological drama, directed by Darren Aronofsky before he went on to make The Whale, was certainly a tear-jerker as we saw the brutal impact of four people battling drug addiction.

Talking about making the movie, Leto revealed that a heartbreaking real life-incident occurred during filming.

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“A wild thing about that film is I remember I had a scene and I was supposed to be very emotional, and then literally when they shot my close-up I got a call,” he recalled to Whiley.

“One of my best friends had just been shot in the head and the emotion that came at that moment… when I recognised what a brutal loss this was.

“But I realised what a bad actor I was because it didn’t really touch anything that I’d done in this scene, and I believe I went back and asked for another take.

“I shared a little bit of that in the scene and that’s what’s in the movie when I’m talking on the phone. So in a way, you know, [my friend] lives in that scene.”

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Leto is well-known for being a method actor and this movie was no exception - while he didn’t start shooting up heroin, he did drop 28 pounds (13kg) and spent time living on the streets of New York so he could speak to people in a similar situation to his character Harry.

Speaking to Vulture in 2020, Leto said: “I did whatever I thought I could do in order to bring more authenticity to the role, more honesty.

“So I spent time with a group of people in the East Village, many of whom are no longer alive — they lost their battles to addiction.

"They were very supportive and helpful and generous with their time and their experiences and there were nights that I spent basically homeless.”