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Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto has been accused of criminal sexual conduct by four women who alleged the offences occurred when they were teenagers.
Ten women in total have detailed their encounters with the actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman to the BBC, in a new documentary titled Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret.
One woman alleged she was sexually assaulted inside a motel bathroom at the age of 17, while another said Leto threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19.
A third woman said she had under-age sex with the star in California when she was 17, and said he had “shrugged off” a conversation about the age of consent being 18 in the US state.
The fourth woman described being groomed by the star, and alleged he abused his celebrity status by repeatedly making sexually explicit phone calls to her when she was 16. She also said he suggested they should have sex on at least one occasion.
Four more women also alleged they received odd and often very sexual phone calls from the star when they were younger.
During these phone calls, the women said Leto asked them questions such as: “Are you a virgin? Do you have any kinks?”
All the women allege their encounters with the actor took place between 2002 and 2016, when he was in his 30s and 40s. He is now 54.
One of his alleged victims told the BBC: “This was 25 years ago … He has gotten away with it.”
Leto has been a prominent Hollywood figure since the 1990s. He won the 2014 Academy Award for best supporting actor for Dallas Buyers Club, and has appeared in hit films such as Fight Club, Blade Runner 2049, and Suicide Squad.
The BBC has attempted to contact Leto regarding the allegations, but he has not responded to requests for comment.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). Anyone affected by sexual, domestic or family violence can also access 24/7, free and confidential trauma-specialist counselling through Full Stop Australia (1800 385 578).
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