Jared Leto says he never gave Margot Robbie a dead rat while making Suicide Squad

‘I never gave Margot Robbie a dead rat. That’s not true’

Jared Leto has denied a rumour that he once gave Suicide Squad co-star Margot Robbie a rat.

In a conversation with GQ, the actor, who portrays the Joker in the DC Universe and allegedly gave his co-stars Joker-esque “gifts” during production, said, “It’s also interesting how this stuff all takes on a life of its own. I never gave Margot Robbie a dead rat. That’s not true.”

“I actually gave her – I found this place in Toronto that had great vegan cinnamon buns, and that was a very common thing.”

Back in 2016, Suicide Squad co-star Viola Davis told Vanity Fair that Leto gave her a dead pig.

“Now 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.’ You talk about commitment and then he sends Margot Robbie a black rat. It was still alive in a box. She screamed, and then she kept it.”

Indeed, in the new interview, the actor didn't specify whether or not there was a rat at all. If there was one, however, then it sounds like the rat was very much alive.

Leto also described the role of the Joker as “Shakespearian”, saying, “Stepping into the Joker's shoes ... it's an incredible opportunity. I guess it's this generation's version of taking on an infamous Shakespearian character. Lots of people the part before, lots of people play it in the future. So really it's an opportunity to do something new and to explore challenging territory. And we had a lot of fun with it.”

Director Zack Snyder's new cut of 2017’s Justice League, which didn't originally feature Leto as the Joker but will in The Snyder Cut, is coming to HBO Max in March.