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American actor/musician Jared Leto garnered the best reviews of his career after portraying heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in the 2000 drama Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky. Formerly known among television audiences for playing brooding heartthrob Jordan Catalano in the cult hit teenage drama My So-Called Life (1994-1995), the Louisiana-born actor was well-received for his roles in such movies as 1998’s successful horror film Urban Legend (with Alicia Witt), Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line (1998), David Fincher's remarkable films Fight Club (1999, starring Brad Pitt) and Panic Room (2002, starring Jodie Foster), Girl, Interrupted (1999, opposite Winona Ryder) and the thriller American Psycho (2000, alongside Christian Bale). Fans can catch Leto as Nicholas Cage’s younger brother in the action thriller Lord of War (2005) and as Raymond Fernandez, opposite superstar John Travolta, Salma Hayek and James Gandolfini, in Lonely Hearts (2006).
As a musician, Jared Leto is the lead vocal/guitarist/songwriter of a rock band called 30 Seconds to Mars. With his group, he recently released a second album titled A Beautiful Lie (2005) and has toured practically non-stop for the last two years while continuing to make films.
Off Screen, one of People Magazine's “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” (1996 and 1997), Leto has been linked to such high profile names as Kristi Mc Daniel, Cameron Diaz and Scarlett Johansson (dated in 2004). He began dating Diaz in 1999 and the couple became engaged in 2000. In 2003, however, they ended their four-year romance with resulting speculations that their separation may have been due to his jealousy of Diaz's hot career and his attention to his band.
Childhood and Family:
In Bossier City, Louisiana, Jared Leto was born on December 26, 1972. His parents divorced when he was a child, leaving him in the care of his mother, Constance and his older brother Shannon. This separation led to a traveling life with young Jared moving from his native Louisiana to different cities in Colorado, Virginia, Wyoming and Haiti. In 1992, when he was 20, Jared relocated to Los Angeles to launch a career in acting.
Jared was educated at Newton North High School and Flint Hill Preparatory in Oakton, Virginia. Hoping to become a successful painter, the multifaceted Jared found his way to Philadelphia's University of the Arts, but then discovered acting and transfered to the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he majored in filmmaking. While studying there, he penned and starred in his own film titled Crying Joy.
When he is free from film works, Jared spends time with his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, where he serves as a guitarist, songwriter and singer, and enjoys hiking, skateboarding, snowboarding, reading, and painting.
Career:
Switching his dream of becoming a painter to an actor, Jared Leto, who once worked as a dishwasher and a doorman, headed for Hollywood to pursue a career in acting when he was twenty. Starring and writing his own film while in school, Leto got his first role as a guest star in such shows as "Camp Wilder" (1992) and "Almost Home" (1993) before he delivered his big break as a regular in the teen cult hit My So Called Life (1994-1995). Portraying high school anti-hero and the object of Claire Danes' affection, Jordan Catalano, Leto became daydream fodder for teenage girls and rose to fame with the success of the series. In 1994, he also made his television movie debut in Cool and the Crazy (1994), starring with Alicia Silverstone.
Gaining a reputation as a teen idol, Leto landed his first film role when he was cast in the tiny role of Beck in the drama/romance How to Make an American Quilt (1995), starring Winona Ryder and Anne Bancroft. After his debut, the fledgling actor was seen regularly on film. Leto costarred with Christina Ricci in The Last of the High Kings (1996), worked with Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid in Switchback (1997) and won his first leading role by having the title character of the legendary runner in Prefontaine (1997).
After another title role in Basil (1998, opposite Christian Slater and Claire Forlani), Leto starred in the teen horror hit Urband Legend (1998, with Alicia Witt) and was part of a powerhouse cast which included Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Cusack and George Clooney in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line (1998). In 1999, he appeared as a gay high school teacher in James Toback's Black and Red (1999) and played supporting roles in two films, David Fincher's controversial Fight Club (1999, as the blond angel face) and Girl, Interrupted (1999, played Winona Ryder’s sweetheart).
In the new millennium, Leto’s career received a boost with his involvement in two high profile films. He first gave a memorable performance in the supporting role of Paul Allen in American Psycho (2000), a film based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel of the same name. Leto earned even more recognition for playing the coveted starring role of heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in the up-and-coming director Darren Aronofsky's sophomore effort Requiem for a Dream (2000), in which he had the chance to work with legendary Ellen Burstyn and future Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly. His fine acting in the addiction drama won praise and raves from film critics.
Unfortunately, his next films, Sunset Strip (2000) and Tarantino-sequel road film Highway (2002) were failures and immediately landed on video store shelves. The pendulum swung once again and Leto was put back in the spotlight with his supporting role of the most talkative and awkward of three burglars, tormenting Jodie Foster's character, in David Fincher’s notable Panic Room (2002). Vanishing from the screen for two years to pursue a career in music, Leto made his return to film in 2004 when he landed the supporting role of Hephaistion in the 2004’s epic Alexander (2004).
"We really bonded very early. He has a great sense of humor and was very kind to me. I learned so much from watching such an incredible actor. He really is a master at what he does. It was a real honor to be able to work with someone like that, that I’ve been watching since I was a kid. I mean, to play his brother left some people scratching their heads but something about it really worked." Jared Leto says on playing Nicolas Cage’s brother in Lord of War.
Leto portrayed Nicolas Cage’s younger brother Vitaly Orlov, an insightful soul who endures the consequences of being part of his brother’s illegal trade, in the 2005 action film Lord of War. He also played the role of Raymond Fernandez in the drama Lonely Hearts (2006), with John Travolta, James Gandolfini and Salma Hayek.
Jared Leto, whose enjoys music by Marylin Manson and Nirvana, also tried his hand in music. Leto and his bother Shannon are members of a contemporary alternative rock band named 30 Seconds to Mars, in which Leto is a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. Along with his group, Leto toured throughout Los Angeles and released their first album in 2002. Recently, the band launched a second album titled A Beautiful Lie (on August 2005) which has since then become a platinum seller and has garnished numerous awards for the band.
"It's difficult because you have to sacrifice. Clint Eastwood actually wanted me to be in his movie and I had to say no to one of my heroes. I had to support the release of the record. But those are sacrifices that you make and just the name of the game." Jared Leto says on balancing acting and music.
While touring and making music, Jared completed the controversial film Chapter 27 where he plays Mark David Chapman, the man who assassinated John Lennon, and Mr Nobody in which he played several different versions of the same character. Both movies are slotted to be released in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
Information retreived from celebritybazar.com....edited and enhanced by leto30stm webmaster. |
Shannon Leto
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Shannon Leto, born March 9, 1970 is one of the most prolific drummers and entertainers of our time. Growing up in Louisiana, in the Deep South, certainly offered its challenges, and inspiration, shaping Shannon's life, personality, and musical creativity. Being close to his mother and brother, Shannon had a great support system. That support helped him tremendously while he explored his many options and talents. Shannon has delved into acting on a small scale, but seems to have found his niche in music. Shannon is the drummer for 30 Seconds to Mars, one of the most popular up and coming bands today.
Shannon got his start with drumming on pots and pans at age four, progressing to a practice pad at age six. Soon after, at age eight, he was playing on his very own set of drums. At the age of 12, he started playing in a jazz band. He was unable to join them for a second season because the teacher found out he couldn't read music, and he didn't get called back for the audition.
In his spare time, Shannon enjoys photography, which has proved to be a productive and creative outlet for him as well. He shared his photography talent on the 30 Seconds to Mars self-titled album, as well as several professional photo shoots and photos of many Echelon in their different fashion creations, tattoos and body art. He also enjoys playing video games, playing practical jokes, and loves to experiment with different, sometimes eclectic, hairstyles.
With the band, he practices six to seven hours a day. In an interview with Modern Drummer magazine in February 2006, he stated, "Rehearsing that much has helped to build up my stamina and make my playing more precise". He has also said that he doesn't like playing to tape or to a loop, and prefers the more organic way of doing things, experimenting with electronics the band creates on their own.
Bob Ezrin, who helped produce 30 Seconds to Mars' 2002 debut album, 30 Seconds to Mars, called Leto "one of the most inventive drummers I've worked with. He isn't satisfied with simply adding a beat; his drum parts are an integral part of the orchestration of the record. He's also a great live drummer who is lots of fun to watch, with a presence and energy level that are mesmerizing". (Modern Drummer Vol. 30, no 2)
Leto describes his band's music as having the grandiosity of Pink Floyd and the energy of The Sex Pistols. His other musical influences include The Cure, the first two albums from Metallica, Led Zeppelin, The Who, early The Police, and Steely Dan. He appeared on a few episodes of My So-Called Life with his brother Jared before forming 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998 with the addition of bass player Matt Wachter and later by joined by friend Tomo Milicevic on guitar.
Leto is also a guitar and piano player. His interest in always learning more about the art of music has made him want to continuously take risks and challenge himself.
Information retreived from Shannon-Leto.org....edited by leto30stm webmaster.
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Tomo Milicevic
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Tomislav (Tomo) Milicevic was born in Sarajevo on September 3rd, 1979. He has an elder sister, actress and model, Ivana and a younger brother, Filip. When Tomo turned eight, his family immigrated to the United States and found themselves in Detroit, Michigan.
Tomo started to play violin at the age of three. His uncle, Bill Milicevic, is a professional musician and a professor at the Michigan University of music. At first, Tomo did not like the guitar. He found the instrument too simplistic until he discovered Rock in his teens. Nirvana’s "Nevermind" was the first CD he bought with his own money. Later, Ivana took him to see Nirvana live, and it changed his perception of the guitar forever. With the help of his father, he built his first guitar, which cost him more than a real guitar would have cost at that time. He would later use that guitar to record "A Modern Myth".
He lived in Seattle for a while, going to culinary school, and graduated as an executive pastry chef, but music stayed his true passion. He played for a time with a local band from Michigan called Mophic. After a failing to achieve any success with Mophic, he decided to leave the music business and to sell all his instruments. It is at that time that Shannon, to which he had contact with, told him about an audition for 30 Seconds to Mars. Tomo was already one of their biggest fans and he begged his parents to lend him the money to buy a plane ticket to Los Angeles. He was selected amongst 200 musicians, first for his talent, but also for his kindness and personality. Five days later, February 3rd 2003, he played with Jared, Shannon, and Matt on the Craig Kilborn TV show. Since then, he has been part of the band, and he participated in the writing and recording of "A Beautiful Lie". He has been touring with Mars almost non-stop, since 2005.
Information retreived from Tomo-Milicevic.com....edited by leto30stm webmaster.
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Touring Member
Tim Kelleher
Former Members
Matt Wachter
Solon Bixler
Kevin Drake
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