Jared Leto takes method acting to the extreme.
In a new interview with Uproxx, Morbius director Daniel Espinosa addressed the lengths to which Leto embraced the title character’s physical limitations on set. Espinosa confirmed a rumor that Leto was so committed to playing a disabled character that he would use crutches when limping his way to the restroom.
Leto’s bathroom breaks would take so long (45 minutes) that they slowed down production on the film, leaving the production team no choice but to get a wheelchair so that someone could push Leto to the restroom faster.
“Because I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life,” Espinosa told reporter Mike Ryan. “Even though, as he’s alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it’s people’s processes.”
He added, “All of the actors believe in processes. And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be.”
While speaking with Complex about his role in Morbius, Tyrese Gibson, who plays FBI Agent Simon Stroud in the film, claimed Leto had a level of focus on set that’s comparable to the level of intensity Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan brought to the basketball court.
“He was in his zone, man, and you just got to respect it,” Tyrese shared. “He’s not the first person I’ve ever worked with that’s a method actor, so I was prepared, but it just shows you like, ‘Yo, man, it’s game time.’ I don’t think you get to talk to Kobe and Michael Jordan that often. They’re in their zone. You’re either going to come to practice or you’re going to be ready to dance. It’s time to dance. Or you’re going to just look at my greatness from the sideline.”
Tyrese continued, “He brought a level of intensity and seriousness. Because, unfortunately, a lot of us get paid a lot of money regardless if you’re actually worth it or not. A lot of people make a lot of money in these movies. To see somebody taking this shit that seriously, man. It brought a level of intensity and seriousness to me and just made us all like, ‘Man, we over here working with [Michael] Jordan, baby. We got to go.”
