Jared Leto opens up on becoming the Joker
The Joker is an iconic role, and Jared Leto, who will portray the classic villain in Suicide Squad, wants to do it justice.
“The work that’s been done on this character by so many people before me has been so impactful, so incredible, so much fun, so profound, so risky, that it’s a very special thing to be asked to take on that responsibility,” Leto told Entertainment Weekly.
Read more: Only the Joker was present during Suicide Squad filming—not Jared Leto, says Will Smith
Perhaps the most famous iteration of the Joker was his last portrayal by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Leto knew before filming the upcoming Suicide Squad that he was going to put his own tattooed, crazy-eyed spin on the Joker that fans know and love.
“Whether you’re a composer working on a piece of music that was written a century ago, or you’re an actor on stage, reinterpreting a play, it’s very common these days. Directors take on great works of cinema, actors reinterpret roles, that’s been going on for a great deal of time,” he said to EW. “It a weighty thing to do. But it’s exciting. The Joker is one of those roles. He was written brilliantly when he was first shared with the world…I’m just really grateful I had the opportunity.”
Suicide Squad opens in theatres on August 5, 2016.
