Jared Leto Made $7 Million Salary for 7 Minutes of ‘Suicide Squad’
A-list actors usually command huge salaries for their movie roles. And being an award winner often sweetens the deal. Jared Leto has come a long way since he first broke out in the ’90s. The rocker has since appeared in several successful projects and has won several awards. In fact, Leto saw his star presence garner him $7 million for less than 10 minutes in Suicide Squad.
Jared Leto gave a different take on Joker in ‘Suicide Squad’
Jared Leto was the first actor to take a bite out of Batman’s arch-nemesis in the DC Extended Universe when he was recruited to play Joker in Suicide Squad. He is also the only actor to play the Joker in more than one movie. The character is depicted as a psychopathic master criminal and Harley Quinn’s on-again-off-again lover.
The character first appears in the film when he learns that Harley has been selected to be part of the titular crew and has a bomb chip in her body. He blackmails a scientist into disabling Harley’s bomb. And as the team awaits extraction, he rescues Harley and disables the bomb. The helicopter gets shot down, but Harley survives.
She rejoins the squad believing her lover to be dead. He reappears at the end to break Harley out of jail after the end of their mission. Leto employed method acting to portray the prince of crime. He reportedly spent time alone, listening to gospel music from the ’20s. He also gave his costars bizarre gifts, including condoms, a dead pig, and a black rat.
Jared Leto was paid $1 million per minute for ‘Suicide Squad’
Leto’s role in Suicide Squad came hot on the heels of his Oscar win from Dallas Buyers Club, which may explain why he received a handsome amount for his portrayal of the Joker. Because while Suicide Squad has a run time of 135 minutes, Leto only appeared for 7 of those minutes.
The Joker was originally supposed to appear in more scenes. But most of them got cut out due to production issues. Still, the star doesn’t seem to have minded the little screen time he had as he was compensated well.
Leto was reportedly paid $7 million, meaning the actor earned $1 million every minute he was on-screen. However, we don’t imagine the higher-ups complaining. The film made a significant profit, earning $746.8 million against a $175 million budget.
The singer’s version of the Joker was met with mixed reviews. Some fans and critics saw his limited screen time as a waste of his talents. Others disliked Leto’s modernized version of the Joker, who had dropped the “flamboyant clothing” that the character has become known for, opting for a “noir-style gangster aesthetic” full of tattoos.
What is Jared Leto’s net worth?
Leto first gained attention for his role as Jordan Catalano in the short-lived series, My So-Called Life. He made his way to the big screen, landing supporting roles in major projects like The Thin Red Line, Girl Interrupted, Fight Club, and American Psycho. Leto broke through as a leading man with Requiem for a Dream.
The early 2000s saw Leto take on even more challenging roles. He played a villain in Panic Room and gained almost 70 pounds (developing gout) for Chapter 27. Leto also took time off to focus on his music career, performing and recording with his band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
In 2014, the actor earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. Between his notable on-screen appearances, music career, and side ventures, Jared Leto is worth an estimated $90 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
