Jared Leto accused of sexual assault by multiple women; actor-singer denies allegations

FILE PHOTO: Cast member Jared Leto attends a premiere for the film 'Tron: Ares', in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 6, 2025. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Hollywood actor Jared Leto has been accused by multiple women of criminal sexual misconduct in a new BBC documentary titled Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret.The documentary features 10 women detailing their encounters with Leto between 2012 and 2016 with nine of them publicly recounting their experiences for the first time. One of the women said that she was sexually assaulted by Leto in a motel when she was 17 while another said that the actor threatened her of sexual assault when she was 19.Another woman recounted that she had undergone underage sex with Leto in California when she was 17, which would be classified as statutory rape. Leto was aged 34 at the time. A fourth one shared details about the sexually explicit phone calls that Leto made to her when she was 16.As per Reuters, BBC had corroborated a number of the women’s accounts with friends and family who were told about the encounters with Leto at the time. “In some cases, we have also seen pictures and messages that support the women’s accounts,” the BBC said.Leto denied these allegations in a statement. “I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false,” he said.Allegations about Leto first emerged last year when Allie Teilz, a DJ based on Los Angeles, took to social media to share her experience of being assaulted by the actor when she was 17. The post was actually a screenshot of a Facebook status update from 2012 where she said, “You’re not really in LA until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage at an M83 show.. In a Kilt.. And a snow hat.”After the post, multiple women shared their own experiences which led to Air Mail’s report last year where nine women accused the actor of engaging in inappropriate behavior. Leto’s representative had denied these allegations.The actor won an ⁠Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role ⁠as an HIV-positive transgender woman in 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club. He also appeared in House ‌of Gucci,Suicide Squad and Morbius. He was last seen in Masters of the Universe.Leto is also the lead singer for the alternative rock band ​Thirty Seconds to Mars.(With inputs from Reuters) Published - July 30, 2026 12:05 pm IST