Jared Leto Says It Was An Honor To Play Joker In Suicide Squad

Jared Leto sat down with Access Hollywood's Alex Hudgens and discussed his method approach on Suicide Squad and how it was an honor to play The Joker.

Leto is well aware that he is now in the company of some other great actors that have portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime. "I have to say, there have been so many phenomenal performances: Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Cesar Romero, Mark Hamill," Leto said. "It's so much great and unforgettable portrayals of The Joker. It was such an honor to be handed the baton and asked to run with it. I just have so much respect for what went on before, and a lot of gratitude that I was able to be a part of this lineage, in some way."

For the role, Leto packed on 20-pounds of muscle and, more importantly, stayed in-character on-and-off screen for the whole six-month shoot. "I think method acting is a very loose term for when an actor takes an approach that is maybe a little different than traditional approach," he explained. "But everybody has their own methodology, from preparing for an interview or writing a book or painting a painting. Or, some people use music. Some people do research. Everybody has their own set of tools that they rely on, and for me, I just try to be as focused and committd as possible. And do what's needed to be done, in order to create a greater sense of reality for myself, for the other actors. I had a lot of fun with it, and I think everyone has a lot of fun with both that and the film in general."

It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world's most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government's disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren't picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it's every man for himself?

Written and directed by David Ayer based on the characters from DC Comics, the film stars Will Smith ("Ali"), Jared Leto ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Margot Robbie ("The Wolf of Wall Street"), Joel Kinnaman ("RoboCop") and Viola Davis ("The Help"). The cast also includes Jai Courtney ("Insurgent"), Jay Hernandez ("Takers"), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ("Thor: The Dark World"), Ike Barinholtz ("Neighbors"), Scott Eastwood ("Fury"), Cara Delevingne ("Paper Towns"), Adam Beach ("Cowboys & Aliens"), and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It is produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Suicide Squad opens worldwide in 3D, and in 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters beginning August 5, 2016.