Jared Leto talks The Joker, says he's gaining weight for his 'Suicide Squad' role

Some may think that Jared Leto's skinny figure is perfect for The Joker, but apparently Suicide Squad director David Ayer wants him to bulk up! In a new interview with Billboard, Leto revealed that he's trying to gain weight for the role.

"Do you mind if I eat a little?" Jared Leto asks Billboard during an interview for our new cover story, out Friday, Feb. 20. "I'm trying to gain a lot of weight. It means I have to eat every couple of hours -- and I'm terrible at eating a lot." (Case in point: Leto was eating vegan tacos during the interview, which are hardly the fattiest food on the market.)

Leto also told Billboard that the increasing complexity of graphic novels is what drew him to The Joker:

"The opportunity to take on this nearly Shakespearean character -- that's what graphic novels and comic books are becoming, right?" Leto says. "[He's] this beautiful disaster of a character -- what a big challenge."

Check out some photos in the gallery below that were taken of Leto earlier this month:

Photos by Terry Richardson

Gaining weight won't be the only physical transformation he goes through for The Joker. Earlier this year Leto teased that he'd be chopping off his long hair as well.

SOURCE: Billboard

59 comments

February 19, 2015

I'm losing my hair and everyday I tell myself it's okay. That works for me ... Until I see Jared Leto's hair.

What beautiful hair that man has!

Potterbat
February 19, 2015
Join the club;)

Christian Bernal

February 19, 2015

Gaining? WHY? The Joker is really thin.

Christian Bernal
February 19, 2015
The only one like that I can remember is from The Batman. I really hated that Joker.
We'll have to wait and see.
1. Christian Bernal
  February 19, 2015
  Oh...I forgot about TDKR's Joker:
  https://scontent-mia.xx.fbc...
Robert James Watkins
February 19, 2015
He doesn't have to be a body builder, but I've never taken Joker to simply be a mental threat to Batman. He is a physical threat as well.
Axxell
February 20, 2015
He's thin, but not frail, anorexic thin.

Charlie boy

February 19, 2015

This guy... he's gonna nail it. I've seen Artifact and a few other behind the scenes. He is one of the most driven talents in the industry. Both music wise and film

i'm the arrow

February 19, 2015

dem tattoos. Illuminati confirmed.

Worlds Finest Comments

February 19, 2015

TITAN JOKER CONFIRMED!

Tesla Ink
February 20, 2015
you really are the world's finest comments

El Fuego Asciende

February 19, 2015

I think the weight gain makes sense as far as a life in captivity does to prisoners. It's no coincidence that you see inmates in documentaries or films and they're all buff or ripped as hell, since they have nothing else to do all day.
Like Tom Hardy playing Bronson in Bronson or Robert DeNiro in Cape Fear.

I think the premise of the Joker in SS is: He's been in Arkham so long, it's given him time to body build and maybe get prison tattoos over the years since he last fought Batman on the outside. We shall see.

El Fuego Asciende
February 19, 2015
He's already in good shape. As long as he's maintaining a workout regime while incrementing his caloric intake, he'll be ready by production time.
1. Dr. Weezil
  February 20, 2015
  So what?
Dr. Weezil
February 20, 2015
::rolls eyes::

Robert James Watkins

February 19, 2015

Recipe for disaster. Imitating another actor's choices isn't a good idea.

Robert James Watkins
February 19, 2015
That's so vague as to be meaningless. You might as well just say "do a good job". It's more helpful. While Joker doesn't have to be built like a house, I don't know why having him be lanky is a great idea other than to assuage comic book purists.
1. Robert James Watkins
  February 19, 2015
  I don't think he said he's going to be Captain America. He could just be putting on some more lean muscle.
  1. Robert James Watkins
    February 19, 2015
    Why?
    1. Robert James Watkins
      February 19, 2015
      I don't think he has the body type to get jacked nor do I think that's what they're going for.
      And what's with the "should"? It's fictional and open to interpretation. Joker isn't just a mental threat to Batman, so why not let Joker have a healthy amount of muscle on him?
    2. Robert James Watkins
      February 19, 2015
      No he's not. Riddler isn't a physical threat. Joker does have some physical prowess, and again, there's no "should" these things are open to interpretation. Given Joker's exploits, there's no way he could've done it without having some physical prowess.
    3. Robert James Watkins
      February 19, 2015
      Highly intelligent is fine, but it does you little good when you are trying to stab a guy who is a master of martial arts. Intelligent villains are a dime a dozen. Joker has plenty of it, but he's not just that.
    4. Brad Hicks
      February 20, 2015
      Normal is a flimsy illusion.
Dr. Weezil
February 20, 2015
Ambiguous nonsense. "Mimic greatness." Your comments usually make sense. Swing and miss.
1. Colin
  February 21, 2015
  I think you did... and everyone else sees it but you. Get the plank out of your eye.

Guest

February 19, 2015

Not too much I hope.... "thin" goes with the many faces of Joker.

Martinezxyz

February 19, 2015

Not too much I hope.... "thin" goes with the many faces of Joker.

vvvvvv This I can totaly see Leto pull off.

Robert James Watkins
February 19, 2015
Why does thin go along with Joker? I imagine him as a Mads Mikkelsen type. He can hold his own but he's not super ripped.
1. Robert James Watkins
  February 19, 2015
  The summer
  1. Robert James Watkins
    February 20, 2015
    True, though my one complaint is season 2 made me queasy during certain scenes, such as when they showed Mason eating his face.
    1. Solo
      February 20, 2015
      Interested to see how they will portray Red Dragon.
    2. Robert James Watkins
      February 20, 2015
      I think they are doing Red Dragon next season, but Dollarhyde will be in a few episodes of season 3.
    3. Robert James Watkins
      February 20, 2015
      Then you, sir, have a stronger stomach than I.
2. Dr. Weezil
  February 20, 2015
  Because that's how the character has been portrayed in the vast majority of his source depictions.
  Try and keep up.
  1. Robert James Watkins
    February 20, 2015
    And Joker was always permawhite before Nolan. Things change.
    No need to be a keyboard warrior, discuss things like a mature adult.
OGDickGrayson
February 20, 2015
Batman R.I.P Joker is a genuinely creepy bastard.
1. Jackrydeher
  February 20, 2015
  That is the interpretation I'm hoping for
sss
February 20, 2015
he knows what he's doing . its gonna look dope as hell
sss
February 20, 2015
thats how i wantit to look man . certified creepy

Sergio

February 19, 2015

would be cool actually, a ripped joker, not the titan one from AA, but a more bulked one. I can see him now exercising in his cell, taunting other inmates and fighting them, even mirroring batman begins' bruce in that prison in butan... joker: "it was 12 of them" amanda waller: "i just counted 6..." joker: "well, who cares anyway...hahahahahahahahah"

OssamNin

February 19, 2015

he's always been skinny, yes, but he is ripped as hell, and joker actually isn't a big muscular guy

OGDickGrayson

February 20, 2015

Sounds more like the look of TDKR joker, which I don't mind.

The Walking Cuban

February 20, 2015

But... But... Who's gonna play the skinny one? And is that Guy Fieri? Make HIM lose weight. "I said DIET pizza!"

papasanchez

February 20, 2015

Dudes not going to put on any real bulk with vegan tacos. He will still be lean.

I think Leto will be fantastic.

Jamarcus

February 20, 2015

That would be HOT.

OptimistPrime99

February 20, 2015

Jared Leto losses weight for his Dallas Buyers Club role, and he wins an Oscar.

Jared Leto gains weight for the Joker role, and..............
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/image...

Max Eckhardt

February 20, 2015

Oh no...

Dr. Weezil

February 20, 2015

They're usually pretty good, logical, reasonable. Miss here.

Kerk Lastnameless

February 20, 2015

The fact that he is gaining weight doesn't mean that he will be bulky like Affleck. So far it only means that he will be able to hold his own if a physical confrontation. And I am completely for it. The dystrophic Joker is the thing of the past.

Justin

February 20, 2015

I'm fine with him putting on a little weight, more of a TDK Returns vibe to it. I've always imagined the Joker as no where near Batman's fighting/physical prowess, but he's able to hold his own on occasion due to his unpredictability. Of course, he is just as likely to let Batman beat him up as he is to fight back. The world's greatest swordsman doesn't fear the second greatest, he fears the worst.

Batman

February 20, 2015

I think Nicholson was a far better Joker. But I also think that Leto should become his own Joker, rather than borrowing from someone else. Also, Joker can handle himself in a fight, he needs some lean mass. And even to gain lean mass you need to bulk a little.

Queef Police

February 20, 2015

he looks like such a goober in this pic.

William L

February 21, 2015

SS can be so good... i can't remember a film with such a potential, can't wait!

I've no idea how they'll transform Leto in the Joker, but i don't know why i like this fan art:

evilekim

February 22, 2015

Kinda wish he'd have longer hair for the Joker. Not this long, but longer.

Sugam Kher

February 23, 2015

It's good .. it's all good.. Jared Leto will be an amazing Joker and i like that he's gaining weight because then maybe he'll be like the Animated Series Joker who 'know all of Batmans moves' !! i'd like that..

GUY

February 23, 2015

he should train with hemsworth or evans. marvel has fit actors unlike fat cavill & ben fatleck.