Jared Leto born in Bossier City, Louisiana, in 1971, Jared lived with mother Constance, brother Shannon (photographer and actor) and two half-brothers.

His debut feature film came the following year in How to Make an American Quilt, also with Claire Danes, and the following year he co-starred in Last of the High Kings which was eventually only released on video. By this time Hollywood producers were beginning to notice him and he was giving the leading role in Prefontaine, playing the title character.

In 1998 Jared came across his first big budget box office hit, with Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line and made sure that his face and name became engraved on the cinema-goers minds with his role in Urban Legend.

A string of small roles in high-profile films followed. Acting alongside heavyweights Brad Pitt and Ed Norton, Jared was the blond Angel Face of David Fincher's Fight Club.

And he added to his status as a hunk with appearances as Winona Ryder's boyfriend in Girl, Interrupted and as a gay high school teacher who attracts the attentions of Robert Downey Jr. in Black And White.

He also starred in such movies: The Thin Red Line (1998, with Jim Caviezel); Fight Club (1999, with Brad Pitt); Girl, Interrupted (1999, with Winona Ryder); American Psycho (2000, starring Christian Bale); Panic Room (2002, starring Jodie Foster); Alexander (2004, with Colin Farrell); and Lord of War (2005, with Nicolas Cage).

Her future projects include Chapter 27 (2007).

After a four-year romance with actress Cameron Diaz, the two recently split. Much speculation has mounted around the reasons behind the split, including talk Leto was jealous of Diaz's hot career and that he was more interested in his band 30 Seconds To Mars.

Filmography

• Chapter 27 (2008)
• Lonely Hearts (2006)
• Lord of War (2005)
• Alexander (2004)
• Panic Room (2002)
• Highway (2002)
• Sol Goode (2001)
• Sunset Strip (2000)
• Requiem for a Dream (2000)
• American Psycho (2000)
• Girl, Interrupted (1999)
• Fight Club (1999)
• Black and White (1999)
• The Thin Red Line (1998)
• Urban Legend (1998)
• Basil (1998)
• Switchback (1997)
• Prefontaine (1997)
• The Last of the High Kings (1996)
• How to Make an American Quilt (1995)
• "My So-Called Life" (17 episodes, 1994-1995)
• Cool and the Crazy (1994) (TV)
• "Almost Home" (1 episode, 1993)
• "Camp Wilder" (2 episodes, 1992)