There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the Suicide Squad film. When people aren’t criticizing the trailers for ripping off other superhero films or mocking the movie for needing reshoots , they’re talking about Jared Leto’s bizarre behavior as the Joker. But Leto’s co-star Viola Davis claims she didn’t have to put up with any of the gross gifts or strange antics he pulled on the Suicide Squad set.
For those who don’t know, Jared Leto sent his fellow cast members a series of disgusting presents as part of his method to get into character. Among these gifts were a live rat, a dead pig, used condoms, pornographic magazines , and anal beads.
“I did a lot of things to create a dynamic to create an element of surprise, a spontaneity and to really break down any kind of walls that may be there,” Jared explained. “The Joker is somebody who doesn’t really respect things like personal space or boundaries.”
But, according to E! Online , Viola Davis was not the recipient of any of this nonsense. The How to Get Away With Murder star spoke to reporters on the red carpet at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and was asked if Jared Leto ever bothered her during the filming of Suicide Squad with any deliberate violations of “personal space or boundaries.”
Viola Davis explained that she never personally received any shocking items. It’s almost as if Jared Leto knew not to mess with the venerable actress because she would not have reacted well.
And, indeed, Viola Davis confirmed that she would have gotten her husband to go after Leto if he ever sent her a revolting gift.
“He gave very interesting gifts,” said Davis. “I did not receive any personally, or else I would have got my husband — who was called ‘Headache Ball’ back in the day when he played football — and I would have said, ‘Take care of the Joker.’”
Watch the full Viola Davis interview below.
According to Bustle, Viola Davis’ husband is Julius Tennon . He too is a respected actor, having spent 30 years in the theater. And, as his wife revealed, he used to play football. He was the first African-American student to graduate from the University of Tulsa’s theater program, where he had a full football scholarship. He’s now 62-years-old, but still quite a large and menacing fellow who supports Viola Davis in everything she does.
But despite Viola Davis refusing to put up with Jared Leto’s Suicide Squad stunts, she did previously commend his commitment to acting. In an interview with Vanity Fair , Davis said that while Jared Leto did many “ bad things ” on set, he made her want to be more committed to her own role in Suicide Squad.
“I’m terrified as a person, thinking, ‘Is he crazy?’ But the second part was, ‘Oh, s**t, I got to have my stuff together.’ Talk about commitment!”
As a result of his dedication and method acting, Leto did win an Oscar for 2013’s Dallas Buyer’s Club.
You can see Viola Davis talk more about Jared Leto’s gross gifts in the video below.
You can see the film when it releases this summer and decide for yourself if Jared Leto’s disturbing antics on set were worth it for the final result. Suicide Squad will hit theaters on August 5.
Would you accept a used condom or a dead animal from Jared Leto? Or would you be like Viola Davis and threaten to “take care” of him? Leave a comment below.
[Photos by Larry Busacca/Getty Images and Warner Bros.]