SUICIDE SQUAD: Jared Leto is Gaining Weight For His Role of JOKER Because He's Normally Really Skinny



What is surely to be the most popular storyline for DC Entertainment's Suicide Squad movie has got to be actor Jared Leto and his role as Joker. Sorry Will Smith, while your portrayal of Deadshot in the film will be closely followed all-things Joker will push headlines for this movie.

In what is one of the most highly desirable and scary roles in Hollywood, Leto steps into the shoes last filled by Oscar winner Heath Ledger. Leto does have his own Oscar trophy for his supporting role in Dallas Buyers Club but Ledger's performance as the Joker will always remain legendary.

Whether you like Leto in the role or not, he will in fact be the Joker and he teased his preparation for the role with Billboard.

"Do you mind if I eat a little? I'm trying to gain a lot of weight. It means I have to eat every couple of hours -- and I'm terrible at eating a lot."

Before you start screaming how Leto will be a 'fat Joker,' and believe me some websites are already twisting this story into just that for web hits, let me discuss how small Leto is in real life. The actor is approximately 5-foot-9-inches tall and is usually weighing in at the 150 pound range. He's a very skinny and slender but chiseled human being. For comparison sake, Ledger was approximately 180 pounds as his Joker but he was also 6-foot-1. Plus, during the interview with Billboard, it was revealed that Leto was eating vegan tacos. Not the fattiest thing you can eat if you're trying to become 'fat Joker' which completely debunks all those 'fat Joker' posts you may (and will) see across the Internet.

Sensationalism headlines aside, Leto sounds like he is gaining some weight to bulk up for the role. Some will read him saying he is "trying to gain a lot of weight" and then sadly hear him saying he's trying to fatten up. The reality of Leto's comment tells me he is trying to get up to the 180-ish pound range which means not being a 'fat Joker' but having a slightly bigger frame. His normal weight of 150 pounds is a Joker who is way too skinny.

Leto then spoke about how important of a role this is to him.

"The opportunity to take on this nearly Shakespearean character — that's what graphic novels and comic books are becoming, right? [He's] this beautiful disaster of a character — what a big challenge."

A big challenge indeed and bringing a 'fat Joker' to the big screen is the last thing that should come to anyone's mind.

Suicide Squad releases in theaters on August 5, 2016.



To read more about Suicide Squad, click right here.