Five minutes with Blade Runner 2049's Jared Leto

Starring as Wallace, in the latest Blade Runner 2049 film, Jared Leto has yet again emerged himself into the intense methods of acting. Leto spent his whole time on shoot blind, which according to director, Denis Villeneuve, added something special for the film.

We talked to Jared Leto about his childhood memories, his greatest lessons as an actor and his predictions of the year 2049. 

What were your fondest memories of the original Blade Runner movie?
There was something different about the film, something that spoke to me as a kid that I couldn’t let go of. From the cinematography, to the script, the film is something that I’ve looked to for inspiration, for years.

Talk about the world of the new Blade Runner 2049.
I think the world is rebuilding, I think the world has gone through a lot of trauma. It’s a world that just barely made it. So we’re looking past the other side.

What were the initial meetings with Denis like? Talk about preparing and collaborating with him for the film.
He’s terminally fascinated, curious and doesn’t have any real set of preconceived notions. He’s in the moment with his actors and there’s a sense of discovery around that, that’s really compelling.

What is the greatest thing you learned as an actor acting in this film?
I was reminded about the power of commitment. Thinking about Harrison and him having shot Blade Runner so many years ago, and then him being on the set so many years later, it reminded me, that you don’t know where your life is going to take you.

What are your hopes for Blade Runner 2049 when audiences see it? 
I hope that the film leaves the audience with the feeling that they are transported to a time and a place that they’ve never been before. When I watch it, for the 50^th time, I’m transported to a place that changes me. I hope that happens again.

When we get to the year 2049, what do you imagine that world is going to be like for us?
The general state of humanity has been improving overall. But, we have been damaging our planet more and more. So 2049 really depends on how mindful we are about how we treat our planet; how much care, the kindness that we bestow and the species that we share the planet with.

Blade Runner 2049 is in cinemas on October 5, 2017.