BBC documentary alleges multiple sexual assault claims against Jared Leto
A BBC documentary released in the UK presents accusations from ten women that actor Jared Leto engaged in sexual misconduct, including alleged statutory rape, which Leto denies.
The BBC aired a one-hour documentary titled “Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret” after a year-and-a-half of research by director Alice McShane and producer Jessica Sartenaer. The film features ten women who recount alleged sexual assaults and inappropriate behavior by the 54-year-old actor and musician between 2002 and 2016, including a claim that a 17-year-old was pressured into sex with Leto, who was 34 at the time, in California where the age of consent is 18.
McShane began the investigation after a 2012 Facebook post by DJ Allie Teilz resurfaced, prompting dozens of women to contact the filmmakers. The team reviewed more than 120 online allegations before ten participants agreed to be interviewed on camera, with varying levels of anonymity.
"Everything came out at once," producer Jessica Sartenaer said, explaining that the documentary was not announced in advance to avoid leaks.
"From that point of view, it becomes a more serious story, and it goes beyond misunderstanding to something more worrying," BBC Current Affairs executive producer Mike Radford added.
Leto has issued a statement denying the allegations, calling them "absolutely and categorically false." The filmmakers sent a formal request for comment to Leto’s representatives, but received no response before the broadcast.
The documentary combines the interviews with archival footage and reenactments, and the BBC says it may continue its investigation, though no further program is currently commissioned. The film has not been scheduled for U.S. broadcast, partly due to differing libel laws.
Sartenaer said the team hopes the film will encourage other potential victims to come forward, while McShane noted the difficulty of accessing sources within Hollywood’s closed environment.