Recently, actor Jared Leto attracted attention in the cinema world for his Academy Award-winning turn as a transgender AIDS patient in the dramatic flick Dallas Buyers Club . The movie also starred Matthew McConaughey, who, like Leto, was recognized by peers for his work during the Academy Awards ceremony this year.
Although Jared Leto is certainly making great strides as an actor, he has also built a solid career for himself as a musician with the alternative rock band 30 Seconds To Mars. That creative project is the focus of a documentary film called Artifact that dives deep into the often-cutthroat world of the entertainment industry. Since the documentary will soon get coverage on VH1 and Palladia, it’ll give curious Leto fans a chance to get a more in-depth look at another part of Jared’s career that clearly has a great deal of importance to him.
Jared fronts the band, and his brother Shannon Leto is also one of the founding members. In 2008, the musicians were slapped with a lawsuit for $30 million. Their record label, Virgin/EMI alleged the band members were in breach of contract after trying to leave the label following a dispute about royalties.
Many people fail to realize how there are numerous artists like Leto who appear to be very outwardly successful, but are actually millions of dollars in debt. Often, that’s because they are locked into contracts that are usually very favorable to record executives, but not to the very artists that are causing the label to be successful.
Leto believes understanding could help create a greater amount of transparency in the music industry. He noted, “I hope that artists and audiences watch this film and get a greater understanding of how things work in the music industry, because understanding is the beginning of change.”
Leto and his bandmates became tangled in legal troubles back in 2008. Despite a great deal of hardships that are portrayed in vivid detail throughout the documentary, Jared Leto and his fellow musicians pressed onward, eventually deciding they wanted the album to be released, even if it didn’t have the support of a major label.
The album that Leto helped produce was ironically titled This Is War. After fans watch Artifact , there should be no doubt about why that particular title was chosen.
Already an award-winning film, the Leto-produced documentary will premiere on VH1 and Palladia simultaneously at 11pm this Saturday. Eventually, fans will be able to see the tale of Leto and 30 Seconds To Mars on MTV channels, plus via the VH1 app. Currently, it’s available on demand from iTunes, and was recently spotlighted there as a notable title after Leto was recognized at the Academy Awards.
If you’re a loyal Jared Leto fan and want to understand more about the musical side of his career, Artifact is a must-see film. At times, it will make you feel filled with despair. Ultimately though, it’s a strong testament to how hard some musicians will fight to get their songs heard no matter what.