Jared Leto's extreme method acting for the Joker role in 2016's Suicide Squad has resurfaced this week, with the actor's admission that he sent used condoms and adult toys to his co-stars once more making headlines as of 30 July 2026.
In a 2016 E! News interview that has circulated widely again, Leto confirmed sending the items to everybody in the cast as part of his efforts to embody the character fully.
The Oscar-winning performer explained the unusual approach was designed to foster surprise and break down barriers on set during production of the Warner Bros film.
Leto's Joker Gifts Sparked Cast Reactions
The gifts extended beyond the condoms and anal beads. Leto also dispatched a live rat to Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn, a set of bullets to Will Smith as Deadshot, sticky Playboy magazines to Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, and a dead pig to the whole group.
Cast members later confirmed receiving the packages. Smith described Leto as having gone full Joker, noting he set the tone and was not playing around but fully committed to the role in a way that jarred the rest of the ensemble.
Robbie said by that stage she felt she knew the Joker somewhat, so the weird items were less alarming than they might otherwise have been, though there were many instances where she did not know what to expect.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje observed that the dead pig in particular unified the cast against Leto, prompting them to return it with their own personalised message.
Viola Davis, who portrayed Amanda Waller, was spared any such deliveries and remarked that she would have asked her husband to handle the matter if she had received them.
Leto Defends Method Approach Amid Later Clarifications
Speaking at the time, Leto said he did a lot of things to create a dynamic, an element of surprise and spontaneity, and to break down walls, because the Joker does not respect personal space or boundaries.
He added in the interview 'I know it's a family show, but we can educate people, at least they were used'.
In subsequent years Leto walked back parts of the story. In 2017 he told Entertainment Weekly that reports of used condoms were not true and most of the claims were total nonsense, though wrap gifts themed around the Joker had been given in a spirit of fun.
Director David Ayer also indicated the condoms were not actually used but simply removed from packaging.
The resurfaced clip has prompted fresh discussion of method acting extremes in Hollywood blockbusters a decade on.
Cast Bonding Through Unusual Pranks
Despite the initial shock, several actors suggested the stunts helped establish the film's anarchic atmosphere. The production of Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer and released in August 2016, featured an ensemble including Cara Delevingne and Joel Kinnaman.
Leto remained largely isolated from the main cast during filming, communicating through letters and the gifts, consistent with his interpretation of the isolated clown prince of crime.
As of late July 2026 the old interview continues to draw attention online, underscoring how Leto's commitment once defined the film's off-screen narrative as much as its on-screen antics involving used condoms from the Joker role.
