Jared Leto Unveiled: Inside Men’s Health Magazine April 2022

Jared Leto, the seemingly ageless actor and musician, graced the cover of Men’s Health Magazine April 2022, sparking renewed discussion about his youthful appearance and intense dedication to his crafts. The interview within delves into the enigma that is Leto, exploring his perspectives on aging, his multifaceted career, his demanding fitness regimen tied to climbing, and his unique approach to life and acting. While playfully suggesting outlandish morning routines (“Every morning I drink a gallon of salt water… which unfortunately will make people shit their pants”), Leto ultimately remains guarded about the real secrets behind his enduring looks, leaving much to speculation but offering deep insights into his driven personality. This feature provides a rare glimpse into the mindset of one of Hollywood’s most compelling figures.

The Mystery of Youth: Leto on Aging (or Not)

At 50 (allegedly, as the original article notes), Leto’s appearance continues to baffle. When pressed about why he looks so young, he deflects with humor before conceding, “I do have a good answer for that, but I probably won’t tell you.” He acknowledges genetics likely play a part, noting his mother’s youthful looks, but ultimately dismisses the fixation. “Just to keep everybody guessing. Really, honestly, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter,” he states.

The interviewer observes his face as “healthy looking and apparently lineless,” comparing it favorably, if hyperbolically, to his My So-Called Life days nearly three decades prior. Theories abound: meticulous sun protection (evidenced by his frequent hat-wearing in his climbing docuseries Great Wide Open), or perhaps his remarkably still facial expressions during conversation. His “calm intensity” and minimal emoting in casual chat, while potentially off-putting, might inadvertently prevent wrinkles.

Jared Leto wearing The North Face x Gucci vest and t-shirt for Men's Health April 2022 cover shoot

Leto acknowledges the comments about his age began a decade ago. “People started talking about my age and that sort of thing ten years ago,” he says. “As you get older, people start saying, ‘Ah, you’re still young.’ And then there’s this age where they go, Really?” While appreciative, he pivots back to his core belief: “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” He muses, perhaps ironically, about not capitalizing on his appearance for specific roles: “Maybe I’m doing something wrong—not taking advantage of it enough. It just doesn’t matter. You can be 30 years old and live an amazingly exciting, interesting, fulfilling life, or you can be 60 and having a crisis.”

Beyond Acting: The Maxi-Hyphenate

If fulfillment is the goal, Leto seems to have cornered the market. Far beyond a simple actor, he embodies the term “maxihyphenate.” An Oscar winner for Dallas Buyers Club, he also fronts the globally successful rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars with his brother Shannon, selling over 15 million albums. His passion extends to rock climbing, a serious pursuit he undertook after filming Great Wide Open, with ambitions like conquering El Capitan. Adding another layer, he’s a savvy tech investor with early stakes in giants like Airbnb, Uber, and Spotify.

His friend Evan Spiegel, Snapchat’s cofounder and CEO, praises him: “Jared is uniquely talented and brilliant, all while being kind and humble… Few people realize what a successful tech investor he has been over the years.” Leto seems aware of his potentially intimidating persona, often defusing it with moments of humility, like shuffling into a Zoom call buttoning his shirt. Yet, his mastery across diverse fields remains undeniable.

Jared Leto climbing a rock face wearing The North Face x Gucci apparel

The Philosophy of Focus and Time

Leto attributes his ability to juggle multiple demanding careers and hobbies to a rigorous, almost manic protection of his time. He avoids small talk, preferring deeper, more productive conversations. This intensity translates into a powerful focus. “I’m impatient, and I guard my time really well,” he admits. “And that’s probably why I’m able to do multiple things and achieve some of my goals with those things.”

He acknowledges this wasn’t always easy, emphasizing the need to accept that every “yes” implies a “no” elsewhere. His advice for high achievement comes with a caveat: “If you want to achieve greatly, I can tell you how, but it may not be what you want… I’ve worked really, really hard and I’ve achieved some goals in my life, and it’s been a beautiful thing. But there’s a price you pay for all of it. It just depends how important those goals are to you.” This relentless drive is evident in his packed schedule, balancing global press tours for Apple TV+’s WeCrashed and Sony’s Marvel film Morbius.

Jared Leto sitting in the back of a van wearing The North Face x Gucci clothes

Climbing: More Than a Hobby

Leto’s dedication to climbing exemplifies his immersive approach. He strategically used the filming of his docuseries Great Wide Open as a means to learn the sport, observing and climbing alongside legends like Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. Seven years on, he’s a proficient multi-pitch climber, tackling challenging routes in Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Red Rock Canyon, and even Sardinia.

From a fitness standpoint, he equates the physical demands of climbing with touring as the lead vocalist for Thirty Seconds to Mars. “I’d put it somewhere between amateur bowling and . . . Usain Bolt,” he says of performing live. “It’s hard to explain because you’re up there having a good time, but it’s full on for a couple of hours… Your heart is pounding outta your chest, you’re dripping sweat, and you’re exhilarated, but you’re working your body in a really intense way.”

Climbing isn’t merely an escape from fame, though he values the lack of cell service in remote climbing spots. It represents the peak of being Jared Leto: immersed in a beautiful environment, focused on a clear objective, physically engaged, and disconnected from digital distractions. It’s the embodiment of his pursuit of flow states. He recounts a near-fatal fall while climbing with Honnold, where seeing the rope fray against the rock brought not fear, but “acceptance, and a little bit of sadness… It was like, ah, not now.”

Method and Transformation: The Actor’s Approach

Leto’s immersive philosophy extends dramatically to his acting, earning him a reputation as a Method actor. While infamous stories surround his time as the Joker in Suicide Squad, his commitment involves deep transformation, often physical and always psychological. He gravitates towards roles allowing for bold, sometimes caricatural performances, evident in his portrayal of Paolo Gucci in House of Gucci or his memorable Met Gala appearance carrying a replica of his own head.

His recent roles showcase versatility. In WeCrashed, playing WeWork’s Adam Neumann, his performance is described as quieter, with an “alien’s remoteness and wonder,” a stark contrast to the flamboyant Paolo Gucci. His Morbius character involves a transformation into a vampiric anti-hero. Anne Hathaway, his WeCrashed costar, found his immersion so complete she referred to him as “Adam” on set, admiring his process: “It’s hard to put into words how much I learned from being around someone who builds his freedom from his phenomenal discipline and focus.”

Leto himself dismisses the idea of feeling ridiculous during these transformations. “I never feel ridiculous about that,” he asserts, emphasizing full commitment once a role is accepted. He focuses on the internal aspects: “I’m thinking about the heart of the character, the soul, the spirit… Those other things—it’s the description.” He notes how extreme physical changes, like gaining over 60 pounds for a role, profoundly affect perception and interaction. “I saw people I knew who didn’t know I was filming and thought I had fallen off… They took it as a sign of something wrong in my life. It was a really wild thing to experience that.”

Jared Leto climbing in Joshua Tree wearing The North Face x Gucci gear

Reflections on Pain, Life, and “Settling Down”

Despite his seemingly limitless capacity, Leto admits to feeling limited by his body, especially among elite climbers. He briefly mentions dealing with “serious, years long issues with life-changing, intense levels of pain,” but quickly pivots the conversation towards a more philosophical, less personal discussion about chronic pain and its connection to emotional states, recommending Alan Gordon’s book The Way Out.

When asked about regrets regarding past roles, his response is characteristically blunt and dismissive of dwelling on the past: “No. Come on. I’m gonna be dead soon. Who gives a flying fuck?” This perspective fuels his aversion to concepts like “slowing down” or “settling down.” “Why would you ever wanna settle?” he questions. He acknowledges that physical limitations might eventually shift his focus but believes purpose can be found at any age: “You can be a hundred years old and take a very deep, mindful breath. That probably has its own challenges and rewards.”

Interestingly, his climbing passion has taught him the value of rest. “You can only climb as hard as you rest,” he explains, viewing breaks as strategic tools. “That’s a big thing to come to in life, resting and balance.”

Jared Leto on the cover of Men's Health Magazine April 2022 issue

Conclusion: The Enduring Enigma

The Jared Leto featured in Men’s Health Magazine April 2022 is a study in contrasts: intensely private yet publicly scrutinized, humble yet massively successful, philosophical about life’s transience yet fiercely dedicated to maximizing every moment. The interview highlights his unwavering commitment, whether scaling rock faces, transforming for a role, leading Thirty Seconds to Mars, or strategically investing in the future. While the secret to his youthful appearance remains his own, the feature clearly reveals the relentless drive, deep focus, and unique worldview that define him. Leto continues to push boundaries, uninterested in slowing down or settling, embodying a spirit of perpetual motion and intense engagement with life’s myriad possibilities. His story, as told through Men’s Health, reinforces his status as one of entertainment’s most captivating and consistently surprising figures.