Jared Leto recently bragged about psychologically torturing his Suicide Squad costars, sending them used condoms and anal beads to get into character. Somehow his costar Viola Davis was left off this list, and like any sane person, she is thankful for this.
According to E! Online, Davis said she would’ve gotten her husband to kick Leto’s ass if he tried to pull that on her. Specifically:
“I did not receive any personally or else I would have got my husband who was called the headache ball back in the day when he played football,” Davis said at last night’s premiere of her new indie Custody at the Tribeca Film Festival. “I would have said, ‘Take care of The Joker.”
What a method response from Davis, or more probably, what a non-crazy response from her. On top of these rather adult packages, Leto also sent a dead pig to the cast in an effort to unite them against him. Add all of this together and this doesn’t sound like a super fun work environment.
Obviously, playing the Joker is a hell of a psychological challenge, and Jared Leto was clearly very committed to pulling it off and honoring those who came before him, but at the end of the day, it’s just a film role. Is it really worth torturing your costars (and enduring the ensuing awkwardness during the press tour and whenever you come upon them again)? That’s ultimately a question Leto will have to deal with over time, though. One that may be informed by how well his performance is received. One imagines that it might all feel a bit more worth it if he’s clutching an Oscar over if he’s clutching a Raspberry Award next year.
