Jared Leto’s last character is thirsty for blood. Of course, we’re not referring to the serial killer he portrays in his new Netflix movie, The Little Things. We are talking about Morbius, the character he plays in the film of the same name, which he says is a difficult character to portray in a new interview on the Variety’s Actors on Actors series.
“It’s a big, fun and action-packed movie. He is a brilliant doctor, a researcher, who starts trying to find a cure for a disease he has and about 1,000 other people in the world. I became interested in the role because he goes on this journey of dying to find a cure for this disease and become incredibly healthy, and then to have things change in a way that he becomes monstrous. So it’s a bit like Jekyll and Hyde, which is of course a classic role. “
Leto is best known for his character roles, as the 2013 Dallas Buyer’s Club transgender character Rayon, who has become a hot spot for questions about transgender representation in Hollywood. In an interview with actor John David Washington, Leto explained the character’s unique challenges and starring in a Marvel movie.
“[Morbius] it was difficult for me in some way, because I am not used to playing roles a little closer to who I am, day after day. Dr. Michael Morbius is a little closer to my way of speaking and how I behave “, explained Leto.
Leto also called acting in a Marvel film “a pressure cooker”. “You have a clock running. These are expensive movies. And so all the decisions and the time to make those decisions are a little bit more heated and can be a little more stressful. I think it’s common in these great films, you don’t really start with a script jewel, “said the actor, who played the Joker in the 2016 Suicide Squad.” You start with a hope, a dream and an idea of something, and you all try to work as hard as you can, in that particular period of time, to make it the best it can be. And I think it’s the first time I’ve starred in a great film like this in my entire career, so it was new territory. I usually hide in the shadows. “
In the film, Leto plays biochemist Michael Morbius, a scientist with a rare blood disorder. Morbius gives himself an experimental treatment that combines his DNA with that of a bat and, in the process, gives himself a horrifying new look and many of the same powers and weaknesses as a classic vampire. Morbius the Living Vampire started life as a Spider-Man villain, but made the transition to an anti-hero in the Venom way. The film is part of the growing “Sony Pictures Marvel Character Universe”. After several delays, Morbius is scheduled to hit theaters on January 21, 2022.