Jared Leto, frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars and an Oscar winner, is at the center of a major scandal: he has been accused of harassment and sexualized violence against underage girls. The artist firmly denies all allegations, calling them false.
The story was covered by 360.ru, relying in part on the BBC documentary “Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret.” The film covers the period from 2002 to 2016, when Leto was in his early 30s to early 40s. It features testimonies from several women who were teenagers at the time of the alleged incidents.
For example, a woman using the pseudonym Isabel, who worked as a waitress at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Las Vegas at age 17, described a meeting with the artist in a hotel. Another woman, Clara, said she met Leto through a member of the Thirty Seconds to Mars team; according to her, they met several times, and the girl’s age (17) did not deter the artist, even though the age of consent in California is 18. A third woman described how, after a concert in London, Leto invited her to an after‑party, but when she arrived, no one else was in the hotel room. She said the actor threatened her with rape. Another complainant stated that she received calls from Leto in which he openly talked about his sexual fantasies and suggested meeting; after she finally refused, the artist’s team sent her a non‑disclosure agreement (NDA) regarding their conversations.
The documentary’s authors verified the women’s accounts by reviewing testimonies from friends and relatives, as well as photos, messages, and documents, including NDA drafts. The film also includes comments from two men who worked with the band for many years: they admitted feeling uncomfortable with the way Leto interacted with young girls, sometimes inviting them backstage to his dressing room or to the house where recordings were made. According to one of them, everyone felt the age gap was too large.
The topic of Leto’s interest in young girls has been raised in the media for more than 20 years. For instance, in 2005, The New York Times reported on the artist’s attempts to flirt with underage models staying at the Maritime Hotel. In 2024, Air Mail published an investigation in which nine women described experiences of sexualized violence by Leto. The artist, through his representatives and personally in a comment to The Hollywood Reporter, stated that he has never committed sexual violence and considers all allegations completely false.
The fan community’s reaction has been mixed. Fans of Thirty Seconds to Mars, many of whom attend festivals organized by Leto that include joint activities such as yoga and film screenings, are actively defending their idol on social media. An internet term “Leto cult” has emerged in discussions — used either ironically or critically to describe the high level of devotion among fans and the visual style of the events (for example, mass photos with everyone dressed in white). Supporters of the artist believe the allegations are a planned campaign aimed at discrediting an independent creative figure.
Practicing child and family psychologist Nadezhda Rezenova, in a comment for 360.ru, noted that it is impossible to draw definitive conclusions about the motives behind someone’s behavior without personal diagnosis. Nevertheless, she highlighted several possible psychological factors: the desire to feel significant next to less experienced partners, signs of psychological immaturity, and difficulties in building equal relationships with adults. She also suggested that fame and success can contribute to blurring personal boundaries and fostering the mindset “I am allowed more.” At the same time, the psychologist emphasized that behavior is shaped by many factors — from biology and upbringing to personal experience and social environment — so it is impossible to identify a single cause.
About the Author
