Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars lead singer Jared Leto, 54, denied sexual assault allegations made by four women who accused him of misconduct occurring between 2002 and 2016, when they were teenagers and Leto was in his 30s or 40s [1, 2, 3, 4]. The allegations include sexual assault in a motel bathroom at age 17, statutory rape at age 17 in California, sexual assault threats at age 19, and sexually explicit phone calls at age 16 [1, 4, 5].
The BBC documentary "Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret," aired July 29, features accounts from 10 women accusing Leto of various abuses, with nine sharing their stories publicly for the first time [4, 5, 6, 7]. Several women also described receiving inappropriate phone calls from Leto as young as age 14, and one detailed an incident at a signing event when she was 14 where Leto made inappropriate comments and took her backstage at a music festival [4, 8].
The BBC corroborated many testimonies through interviews with friends and family, as well as reviewing supporting photos and messages [1, 6, 8]. Some victims reportedly refused to sign confidentiality agreements related to their relationship with Leto; the BBC reviewed an NDA document linked to these cases [4, 6, 8].
Two former staff members of Thirty Seconds to Mars expressed concern about Leto’s interactions with underage girls backstage at shows [6, 8].
Leto issued a statement on July 29 denying all allegations, calling them "absolutely and categorically false." He said, "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life" [1]. The allegations follow a 2025 report by US outlet Air Mail where nine women made similar accusations, which Leto also denied [1, 6].
The accusations span from 2002 to 2016, covering much of Leto’s 30s and 40s, and involve incidents across multiple states including California [1, 4, 9].
The BBC documentary release coincided with Leto’s public denial. The controversy continues as Leto’s legal team has not announced further statements or actions related to the allegations [1, 7].
