To what extent
could Jared Leto be termed as a method actor?
Films:
Item 1- Suicide Squad
· My focus film is the 2016 film, Suicide Squad where Leto plays the character, The Joker. I have chosen this film as Leto’s method acting and other techniques are brought to the surface in order to develop his character and enhance his performance in the final film. This film is useful as it will allow me to discuss the various ways that Leto
uses method acting while the camera’s aren’t rolling through other items that I
will use in my work as well as how he uses these to develop the character that
he is portraying.
Item 2- Dallas Buyers Club
· The first supporting film I have chosen to use is 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club, a film which Leto portrays the HIV-positive transgender character, Rayon. I have chosen this as my supporting film as Leto's method acting is once again present in the film. These techniques are personal to Leto himself, exploring his character in his own way such as losing weight and waxing his body. This film provides a good example of his personal methods being used, helping answer the question of the research project.
Item 3- Requiem for a Dream
·
The final supporting film I have chosen to use
is the 2000 film, Requiem for a Dream. In this film, Leto plays a drug addicted
son who has dreams of becoming a drug dealer. I have chosen this film as a
supporting film as Leto uses method acting once again in this film and prior to
filming, prepared for his role in various ways such as losing 25 pounds for the
role as well as living on the streets for two weeks in order to understand his
character further. This is useful as I can apply these methods of preparation
that Leto has used in order to see whether or not they were successful in his
method acting throughout this film.
Articles:
Item 4- Film School Rejects (https://filmschoolrejects.com/jared-leto-and-how-method-acting-can-go-horribly-wrong-be4d658e2a00#.dc63uinok)
·
This article focuses upon Leto in Suicide Squad,
discussing different ways that the actor applied method acting both on and off
camera to his role and whether or not this was effective in portraying the
character. The article also discusses method acting itself, commenting on what
the style of acting is as well as a brief history of the style of acting. This
article is useful as it allows me to refer to the history of the style of
acting as well as how it can be used in a way which is not seen as effective.
Item 5- ShortList (http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/films/jared-leto-goes-method)
· I have chosen this article as it contains an
interview with Leto about one of the supporting film I have chosen to look at as well as
some of the things he did in preparation for the role in Dallas Buyers Club
such as speaking to transgender people and going out in public dressed in
drag. This will
allow me to apply Leto’s methods of becoming this character to the bases of
method acting, finding whether or not these techniques can term him as a method
actor.
Item 6- Empire Magazine (http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/exclusive-jared-leto-talks-suicide-squad-joker/)
· This article contains comments from Leto about his
role in my focus film, Suicide Squad as The Joker. These comments relate to the depth at which he
connected to his character, showing the consequences of method acting in a role
such as this and how it affected Leto at the end of it. This article is useful
as it allows me to discuss these consequences of this type of acting and
whether or not it can aid me in answering my question.
· I have chosen this Elle article as it discusses
Leto’s method acting roles in various films he has been a part of, including my
focus and supporting films. Due to containing information on Leto’s method
acting in each of these films, this article is useful as it allows me to use
this information in order to answer my question.
Item 8- BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/01/16/jared_leto_requiemforadream_160101_interview.shtml)
· This interview from Jared Leto briefly discusses
his state of mind throughout my supporting film, Requiem for a Dream. This article is useful as it shows how Leto’s
method acting affected his mental state while he was in character; by using
this, I can further determine whether or not Jared Leto can be termed as a
method actor.
Item 10- Screen Rant (http://screenrant.com/suicide-squad-movie-jared-leto-method/)
This article that I have chosen to use is one
which contains an interview with Leto's co-star Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie.
The article is useful as it discusses the actor’s personality and acting as he
is in character, opening up about how he adapts his personality to suit the
character that he is playing such as not allowing others to call him ‘Jared’,
yet still keeping his personality between takes.
Clips:
Item 11- FoxFMMelbourne (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgnl9ZLQhAE)
· This clip contains a radio interview with Leto,
discussing method acting and how he stays in character while shooting films.
The item is useful as it uses Leto's own opinions on his acting style such as
being on set while method acting as well as his attitude towards this style,
speaking about how this type of acting is the one which has helped him most in
his acting career.
Item 12- HitFix Live (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRNt9wkY2eM)
· Although this clip isn’t specifically about the
topic I am discussing, it contains elements of the topic discussing Leto’s
choice for method acting in Dallas Buyers
Club and why he chooses this style of acting over other styles of acting.
This is useful to my work as it displays Leto’s own opinion of his acting style
rather than the techniques he uses to become these characters that can be seen
in other items.
Item 13- What is method acting? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MrSndKh1Pg)
This item is useful as it discusses the origins of method acting as well as different actors' opinions on what makes a method actor. The interviewees throughout this clip are part of the Actors Studio, linking their work to method acting and other forms of acting that they study. The clip discusses how they prepare for roles which is useful as I can pair this to Leto's own preparations.
Item 14- Jared Leto on playing the Joker in 'Suicide Squad' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b26Uvgj_-60)
This interview includes various discussions relating to Leto and his role in Suicide Squad as well as his preparation for the role by visiting psychopaths and his thoughts on himself being the Joker. This is useful as I can use this interview and apply it to different point throughout the film in order to show Leto's results from this character and how he uses these preparations throughout his work.
Item 15- Jared Leto interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-GiIfIsHg)
Once again, this interview discusses with Leto about his role in Suicide Squad as well as his reasonings for what he did throughout the filming process such as the gifts that he sent to his co-workers. This allows me to show how Leto uses the aspects of his character when the cameras aren't rolling in order to keep in touch with his character.
This item is useful as it discusses the origins of method acting as well as different actors' opinions on what makes a method actor. The interviewees throughout this clip are part of the Actors Studio, linking their work to method acting and other forms of acting that they study. The clip discusses how they prepare for roles which is useful as I can pair this to Leto's own preparations.
Item 14- Jared Leto on playing the Joker in 'Suicide Squad' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b26Uvgj_-60)
This interview includes various discussions relating to Leto and his role in Suicide Squad as well as his preparation for the role by visiting psychopaths and his thoughts on himself being the Joker. This is useful as I can use this interview and apply it to different point throughout the film in order to show Leto's results from this character and how he uses these preparations throughout his work.
Item 15- Jared Leto interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-GiIfIsHg)
Once again, this interview discusses with Leto about his role in Suicide Squad as well as his reasonings for what he did throughout the filming process such as the gifts that he sent to his co-workers. This allows me to show how Leto uses the aspects of his character when the cameras aren't rolling in order to keep in touch with his character.
Books:
Item 16- Cinema Studies- Susan Haywood
· I have chosen this book to use as it discusses the
origins of method acting as well as how actors get into the characters that
that play. This book is useful to my question as it can be applied to Jared
Leto within the characters he plays such as Rayon and The Joker as well as the
method to which he plays them.
Item 17- Film Studies: The Essential Resource- Peter Bennett, Andrew Hickman and Peter Wall
· This book is useful to my own work as it contains
another way in which method acting is applied, but also how actors achieve
this. Although this book is similar to Item 12, I have chosen to use
this book as it includes different ideas that I can apply to my own work of
whether or not these techniques of becoming a method actor can be applied to
Leto and his work, terming himself as a method actor.
Item 18- An Actors Handbook- Constantin Stanislavski
· This book examines different ways to create a
realistic character which makes this book a believable source as it links into
the theme of method acting and creating or becoming the character themselves,
something which Leto achieves in his own roles. The book discusses points of
"living a part" and "what is my system?" which discusses
different acting styles and how it is achieved, which is useful for applying
these aspects to my question.
Item 19- On method acting- Edward Dwight Easty
I have chosen to use this book as it discusses what method acting is as well as a variety of ways actors can achieve it. By exploring this book, I can get an understanding of the process it takes to become method but also find out whether or not these processes can be linked to Leto, terming him as a method actor or not.
I have chosen to use this book as it discusses what method acting is as well as a variety of ways actors can achieve it. By exploring this book, I can get an understanding of the process it takes to become method but also find out whether or not these processes can be linked to Leto, terming him as a method actor or not.
Other Items:
Item 20- Images of
Jared Leto (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d3/97/3d/d3973d66011f925915592d00b49d92ce.jpg)
· I have chosen to use an image of Jared Leto from
three different points of his life from his weight gain in Chapter 27, his weight loss in Dallas
Buyers Club and his average body weight when he is not adjusting his life
for a specific type of character role. This image will be useful to use as it
will allow me to provide a visual element in my presentation for the audience
to make their own initial judgement to whether or not Leto can be termed a
method actor or not.
Rejected Items:
Chapter 27
· I have chosen to reject this item rather than using
it as a supporting film as although Leto used method acting throughout this
film, I find that there are not as many applications I can apply this film to
my question than of the films I have chosen to use and therefore would not be
as useful as the others.
E News (http://www.eonline.com/news/670674/jared-leto-s-gifts-to-his-suicide-squad-co-stars-a-live-rat-a-dead-hog-and-some-bullets)
· I have rejected this item as although Leto's acting
is discussed throughout the article, it focuses on the actions resulting
from his character rather than the acting itself, therefore not relating to the
topic I am discussing.
Clevver
Movies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GKg13d75Dc)
· Once again, this clip focuses on the actions
resulting from the acting rather than the acting itself. The clip focuses on
many of the actions which Leto performed as the Joker such as requesting his
co-worker- who plays the Jokers henchman, to perform daily tasks. Due to this
not relating to Leto’s acting method directly, I have chosen to reject this
item.
ScreenSlam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RucBvRgULbc)
· The interview in this clip discusses the film, Dallas Buyers Club as a whole rather
than any specific actor or method of acting. Therefore, I have rejected this
item due to the clip not connecting to my question.
· This item has been rejected as it does
not focus upon Leto’s acting specifically but instead Matthew McConaughey’s
acting also in Dallas Buyers Club which
means that this clip is only vaguely related to my question. Due to this, I
have rejected this item.
Introduction to Film Studies- Jill Nelmes
· My final rejected item is a book which discusses
the definitions and origins of method acting. However, due to having other
items which discuss the same matter, I have decided to reject this item.
Film School Rejects (https://filmschoolrejects.com/32-things-we-learned-from-the-requiem-for-a-dream-commentary-62e5a661031c#.3tkcj7a7g)
·
Although this article relates to my supporting
film, I have decided to reject this item as it discusses the film as a whole,
rather than Leto’s method acting from the film. This article is too vague on
what it is referring to and therefore I cannot use the information from this
article to answer my intended question.
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