After complaints of sexual assault: Will Jared Leto's shows be canceled?
A first crack in the actor's Hollywood career has appeared following an investigation, with producers considering the cancellation of his upcoming UK shows. Leto has denied all allegations.
Following a series of complaints about sexual assault published this week in a BBC investigation, Jared Leto may lose major concerts planned for the UK. Concert producers held emergency meetings this week and are considering canceling some of his performances in London and Manchester scheduled for next week.
According to a music industry source, organizers are planning to cancel the shows and held emergency talks the morning after the film aired. The same source stated that those involved in bringing the shows to the UK were unaware of the allegations Jared is facing and are prepared to sever business ties with him, even though whispers about a 'dark' past had circulated for some time.
"I have never sexually assaulted any person in my life. These claims are completely false," Leto stated in response to the allegations.
In the film covering the complaints, several women described a recurring pattern: young fans were pulled from the crowd, brought backstage, or invited to meetings with him. One complainant claimed she was only 17 when, according to her, Leto sexually assaulted her in a motel bathroom. Another said she was 19 when he allegedly threatened to assault her at a hotel in London after inviting her to a show. A third complainant claimed that when she was only 16, she received explicit phone calls from the actor and was subsequently sent a non-disclosure agreement to sign, which she refused. She also recounted that at age 14, she felt exploited after Leto made an inappropriate comment about her chest in front of her mother during an autograph event.
So far, Leto's career has barely been affected. He won an Oscar in 2014 for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, appeared this summer as Skeletor in He-Man: Masters Of The Universe, and last year starred in Disney's high-budget science fiction film Tron: Ares. He has also served for years as the face of the Gucci Guilty perfume. On a personal and industrial level, there has been no collapse yet. Leto, 54, is still represented by the powerful talent agency William Morris Endeavor. A possible cancellation of the two UK shows could be the first crack in a Hollywood asset of more than 30 years.
