Jared Leto denies sexual misconduct allegations after documentary

Lead

Actor and musician Jared Leto has denied allegations of sexual misconduct made by four women in a new BBC documentary, 'Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret.' The women accuse Leto of criminal sexual conduct in incidents alleged to have taken place between 2002 and 2016, when the actor was in his 30s or 40s. He is now 54. In a statement released on Wednesday, Leto said, 'I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false.'

Coverage Comparison

Reports from ABC Australia, The Guardian, and the Jerusalem Post consistently describe the allegations and Leto's denial. The documentary, released by the BBC, features a total of ten women alleging sexually inappropriate behavior, with nine sharing their stories publicly for the first time, as reported by The Guardian. The BBC said it had corroborated 'a number of the women's accounts with friends and family who were told about the encounters with Leto at the time,' and in some cases had seen pictures and messages supporting the accounts, according to multiple outlets.

Key Claims

The allegations include: one woman said she was sexually assaulted in a motel bathroom when she was 17; another said Leto threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19; a third said she had underage sex with Leto in California when she was 17, which would be classified as statutory rape; and a fourth said Leto made sexually explicit phone calls to her when she was 16. Four other women described 'strange and often very sexual phone calls from Leto,' as reported by ABC Australia and the Jerusalem Post.

The Guardian also reported that a woman who alleged Leto made sexually explicit phone calls was sent a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which the BBC said it had seen; the woman refused to sign it. The documentary also includes accounts from two individuals who worked with Leto's band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, who said staff felt uncomfortable about his conduct, alleging he would sometimes invite teenage girls backstage to his dressing room, as reported by The Guardian.

The BBC said Leto did not respond to the allegations despite repeated attempts to contact him, according to The Guardian. Leto's denial was reported by all outlets covering the story.