Disney ‘holds crisis talks' over Jared Leto accusations that threaten to derail big budget blockbuster
Leto, 53, has been accused by nine women, including some who were teenagers at the time.
He has strongly denied all accusations.
Model Laura La Rue was among the accusers who said she was just 16 when the star, then 36, began flirting through messages and once emerged from a room at his house naked, according to an AirMail report in early June.
Recalling the alleged experience at his house, she said, 'I thought maybe this was just what adult men do.'
Leto's reps denied any wrongdoing, saying, 'Their communications contain nothing sexual or inappropriate and Ms La Rue later applied to work as his personal assistant.'
La Rue denied she ever applied for the job, according to AirMail.
He is not being sued or charged with any crime, but the report has thrown a wrench in the works when it comes to promoting his latest films.
The Oscar-winning actor has two big-budget films being released in the coming months at Disney and Amazon MGM, Tron: Ares and Masters of the Universe.
Ahead of Tron's release in October, Disney is scheduled to host a panel at San Diego ComicCon at the end of July, The Wrap reported, although it's not known whether or not Leto will appear on it.
'Jared wants it to be business as usual ahead of the release of his new movie, but Disney is nervous about the promotion of Tron,' an insider exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
'The accusations of sexual misconduct couldn't have come at a worse time.
'The marketing team has been having crisis meetings ahead of its theatrical release in October.
'Disney is planning to host a panel at San Diego ComicCon to push Tron: Ares and Jared has made it known that he's happy to be on it.
'He doesn't want to hide away having denied the allegations and not only is he the lead, he's one of the producers.
'Talks are still ongoing about how to handle the situation, but he will likely take part in some capacity and hold his head high.
'He is not being sued civilly and he isn't being charged with a crime, if he were I think things would be a lot different.'
Leto took to the stage to speak about Tron: Ares during CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas on April 3, 2025, just two months before the report was published by AirMail.
One woman speaking to the outlet claimed his behaviour 'has been an open secret for a long time.'
The U.S. Sun's source added, 'Disney may still have to cut its losses on this one but will still do what it can to promote the movie and create a buzz.'
Neither Disney nor a representative for Leto responded to a request for comment.
San Diego Comic-Con runs from July 24 to 27. Tron is scheduled to be released in theatres on October 10.
The movie also stars Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, and Jeff Bridges.
And although a big-budget movie usually comes with TV and print interview slots for its lead star and a social media push, there has been no marketing since the initial trailer was released in April.
Leto is also set to appear in Masters of the Universe, which is scheduled for release in June 2026, although he is not the lead character in the live-action feature film.
The actor has been cast as Skeletor, the primary antagonist to Nicholas Galitzine's He-Man, according to reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Katy Perry files restraining order against homeless man
Katy Perry has filed a restraining order against a homeless man who has reportedly shown up at her California mansion. According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, the 'Roar' singer filed a temporary legal protection order against Ross Elliott Hedrick. The order claims Mr Hedrick, 43, made several approaches to the one of the pop star's Montecito homes during the month of May. He allegedly refused to take 'no' as an answer when trying to enter the grounds. It has not been reported which of Perry's two Montecito homes Hedrick allegedly turned up at. The Grammy-winner requested in the filing that the order of protection include her former partner Orlando Bloom, from whom she has since split. Prior to their split, Perry and Bloom are understood to have been residing in an expansive Mediterranean-style mansion the singer purchased for $US14.2 million ($A21.7 million) in 2020, Realtor reports. Their second Montecito home, which was snapped up earlier that same year, is reportedly being rented out to actor Chris Pratt and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. The former couple's primary residence has been undergoing extensive renovations in recent months. However, according to Perry's restraining order request, that hasn't stopped Mr Hedrick from showing up several times. Perry's lawyers claim that the 'transient' man was arrested after he turned up at the home the first time, only to return to the dwelling one week later. The singer's security team noted Mr Hedrick was thought to have been holding an aerosol can and a butane lighter the first time he showed up at her dwelling. On the second occasion, they claim Mr Hedrick threw a blanket over the security gate. The A-lister's security team claimed the 43-year-old poses a great threat to Perry, adding they believe he will continue to try to trespass onto the property. The filing also included screenshots of footage taken by Perry's security camera, which reportedly show Hedrick on the grounds. News of the restraining order comes days after it was revealed that Bloom and Perry had called it quits after nine years together. According to one insider, the duo — who share a four-year-old daughter, Daisy — remain 'amicable' amid their split and are focused on co-parenting together. 'Katy and Orlando have split but are amicable,' a source told Us Weekly. 'It's not contentious at the moment. Katy is of course upset but is relieved to not have to go through another divorce, as that was the worst time in her life.' 'They are still very much in touch and co-parenting Daisy together,' a second insider added. 'They aren't making drastic changes for Daisy's sake. They will keep their lives in Montecito. 'They are prioritising stability and consistency for Daisy.' It's unclear who will take ownership of the property, however records indicate only Perry's name was on the deed. The 'Birthday' hit maker purchased the Mediterranean-style mansion just months after buying another Montecito abode over which she became embroiled in a bitter legal battle with its former owner. Perry struck a deal to purchase the property from veteran Carl Westcott for $US15 million ($A22 million) back in 2020. Days later, the seller tried to back out of the deal, claiming he had been under the influence of painkillers when he agreed to the sale. 'The combination of his age, frailty from his back condition and recent surgery, and the opiates he was taking several times a day rendered Mr. Westcott of unsound mind,' Mr Westcott's lawyers stated in court documents. However, Perry's representatives argued that Westcott, a business mogul who founded 1-800-Flowers, had been of sound mind when he agreed to the deal and that he only wanted to back out because he hadn't been able to find an alternative Montecito property to his liking or budget. Their years-long legal battle was finally resolved in December 2023, when a judge ruled in Perry's favour and ordered the original sale contract — which was arranged via the pop star's business manager, Bernie Gudvi — should be upheld. Perry officially took possession of the home in May 2024. The sprawling compound sits among the Santa Ynez foothills and has eight bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, a tennis court, two guesthouses, and a pool. It's unclear whether Bloom was involved in the purchase of the sprawling abode. However, the 'Pirates of the Caribbean 'star was dragged into Perry's legal battle when he was subpoenaed to testify in a trial during which the 'ET' singer was attempting to claim damages of up to $US6 million ($A13 million) from Mr Westcott. Perry and Bloom began dating in 2016 after meeting at a Golden Globes after-party, where they fought over an In 'N' Out burger, the singer previously revealed during an episode of 'American Idol'. Rumours of a split have dogged the couple for years now; however, Bloom appeared to confirm the latest speculation when he made a solo arrival in Venice for the wedding of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancee, Lauren Sanchez — with whom Perry is also understood to be close friends. One source told TMZ that Bloom is refusing to let the split get him down, claiming the actor is planning to let his hair down during the wedding celebrations. 'He's the life of the party and he's gonna hit the dance floor hard!' the insider claimed.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Review: Was the newest Jurassic Park sequel really necessary?
With the welcome return of those stomping, chomping dinosaurs and another hitout for AI avenger M3GAN, there's scares aplenty on the big screen this week JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH (M) Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend. Same fight, with more convincing bite With Jurassic World Rebirth we reach instalment number seven in the lucrative series spawned by Steven Spielberg's 1993 dinos-on-the-rampage classic Jurassic Park. We know enough by now to acknowledge that first blockbuster breakthrough will never be bettered. The formula that keeps serving up humans as possible snacks for prehistoric predators just doesn't allow the wiggle room for expansion or variation. Therefore the filmmakers are compelled to relentlessly double-down on the authenticity of the action scenes. And it is in this one department that Rebirth truly excels. When the stompin' and the chompin' commences, you will be daunted and intimidated in thoroughly convincing fashion. Just bear in mind that aside from an early dino-centric feast – after a scientist ill-advisedly drops a chocolate-bar wrapper in his lab – there is something of a wait to be endured before Rebirth gets busy with the good stuff. Much of the first hour is spent mulching copious amounts of set-up and exposition as we get to know who will be edging towards and running from the gnarly stars of the show. The most prominent players in proceedings are Zora (Scarlett Johansson) and Duncan (Mahershala Ali), two good buddies who have parlayed a past in military special-ops into a shady side-hustle doing the same kind of thing for major corporations. Zora, Duncan and a mixed bag of lesser lights gradually find themselves on a secret assignment to an equatorial zone that (after the ravages posed by climate change) is now the only place on the planet that dinosaurs can feasibly survive. The principal task of this mob is to extract select strains of dino DNA from three different species so that a dodgy pharmaceutical boss (Rupert Friend) can roll out a suite of miracle drugs for billions of bucks. To be frank, the storylines traversed by Rebirth (which are the work of Jurassic Park's original screenwriter David Koepp) lead nowhere in particular, and do not exactly have you rooting for the survival or otherwise of any one character. However, once the fates conspire to have the entire cast stranded on a remote island, director Garth Edwards lets rip with a steady supply of truly exciting set pieces awash with both genuine aggression and vivid atmosphere. On a technical level, the lighting and cinematography standards on display during the special-effects sequences are next-level great, and deserve to be witnessed on the biggest screen available. Jurassic Park Rebirth is in cinemas now M3GAN 2.0 (MA15+) General release The babysitting bot who turned out to be an AI-powered equivalent of Annabelle is back. Only this time – like Arnie In Terminator 2 – the once-dreaded doll M3GAN just might be fighting for a greater good. If you remember the first movie (a major hit a few years ago), you will recall that M3GAN's sinister software was eventually deactivated on account of sustained bad behaviour and a body count that hit triple figures. Now she has been reluctantly switched on once more by her long-suffering programmer Gemma (Alison Williams) to combat the deadly threat posed by the new AI assassin AMELIA (aka Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android). Some long-overdue coding modifications for the title character means she can renew her over-protective relationship with Gemma's teenage niece Cady (Violet McGraw). This sequel is at its strongest when playing strictly for ridiculous laughs instead of creepy chills, and for the most part, its desire to jauntily jolt its audience is effectively completed. Not sure they should go to the well a third time, however. RIVIERA REVENGE (PG) Selected cinemas While it is getting continually more difficult getting a Hollywood comedy made and released these days, the love of the French for laughs with a lightness of touch remains undiminished. Yes, most of them are as unsurprising as they are inoffensive. Nevertheless, the better ones pay their way courtesy of good casting chemistry and attractive production. So proves to be the case for Riviera Revenge, a concoction as fluffy as a souffle, but not without its bursts of sweetly addictive flavour. Veteran star Andre Dussolier plays Francois, a retired military general who finds himself waging a whole new battle late in life when he suspects his beloved wife of 40 years (a wonderful Sabine Azema) may once have had an affair with a mutual friend (Thierry Lhermitte). Some decent chuckles are earned the right way here thanks largely to the lively lead performers, and the sun-dappled coastline of the Cote D'Azur looks as stunning as ever.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Ryan Seacrest leaves fans worried with ‘frail' appearance: ‘Hope he's doing OK'
A noticeably thinner Ryan Seacrest has worried his fans. The multi-hyphenate, 50, took to Instagram Monday to upload a photo dump documenting his life 'lately.' The nine-slide carousel began with a full-body shot of Seacrest standing on a dock in a lush green field. He wore a beige short-sleeved button-up tucked into matching slacks, accessorising with dressy sneakers and a brown belt. The American Idol host, who sported a 5 o'clock shadow, posed with his hands in his pockets as he looked down. Though he looked stylish, his clothes seemed quite baggy on him. His arms appeared slender and his face gaunt. 'He looks frail to me. I hope he's doing ok!' one of many commenters remarked beneath the post. 'Ryan you're getting too skinny!' someone else added. 'Ryan I adore you, But … the big BUT…….. You are looking too thin. Sometimes being too thin can age a person,' a third observer wrote. 'You need to eat more. Way to think [sic] IMO,' a fourth netizen penned. 'Please tell me your [sic] not on the skinny drugs too, you looked great before!!' someone else commented. 'Looking weak and frail you ok?' another wondered. One person even praised Seacrest's 'love for fitness and eating well' but noted he's 'looking pretty gaunt.' However, a handful of fans slammed the negative reactions. 'I just think it's rude to tell someone they are too skinny. I get told this a lot and I cannot help it with medication I am on. Be positive and encouraging, y'all,' one supporter urged. Another echoed, 'IT IS NOT OK TO COMMENT ON SOMEONES BODY. Period. Just because he is a man/celebrity. THIS IS HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT. He is a real human who has feelings and ages and CHANGES. Your concern for him is laced in judgment and is just plain rude. … Would you say these things to his face? Then don't say them here.' The rest of the pictures showed the Wheel of Fortune host posing with home-cooked meals, working out and spending time in nature. While reps for Seacrest did not immediately respond to Page Six's request for comment, a source close to the star explained to us, 'Ryan has recently been doing a new workout routine — working out with a new trainer, Dodd Romero, combined with Pilates and yoga for the first time. That's created a visible change.' Our source added, 'He's also been enjoying vacation time this summer and eating lots of pasta.'
