Jared Leto has pretty much worked with everyone and anyone in Hollywood at this point in his career. From Brad Pitt all the way back in his Fight Club days to Will Smith and Margot Robbie in the 2016 film Suicide Squad, but the cast and crew of the upcoming film Blade Runner 2049 seemed to have a particular impact on Leto.
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The film picks up 30 years after the original and tells the story of K (Ryan Gosling), a blade runner who uncovers secrets buried deep in the past that fuel him to search for the missing Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford).
Leto told SheKnows when he was cast in the film as Niander Wallace, a character he describes as a mix between Gandhi and Steve Jobs, it was a big moment for him as an actor. “You get religious and start praying in thanks to the gods of cinema that you have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of people,” he said of his reaction to booking the film. “And then your next prayer is, ‘Please don’t fuck this up.'”
He added, “You’re seriously hit by a lightning bolt filled with gratitude and humility and, you know, it’s just an insane group of talented artists and you go on an adventure with this really awesome family of people.”
That “awesome family of people,” includes director Denis Villeneuve and stars Gosling, Ford, Robin Wright and Ana de Armas.
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But it was Ford who seemed to shine above the rest for Leto.
“He’s Indiana. He’s Han. He’s Deckard. He’s Harrison. What I think is just so powerful is how much of himself he brings to the roles and the parts that he plays and how much richer the characters and the films are as a result,” Leto explained. “I mean, Mosquito Coast is one of my favorite films in a performance by him that was just — he was possessed in that movie. And, my God, what a beautiful film.”
Filming scenes with Ford was also a powerful experience for Leto, “I think the scene with Harrison was the most intense. It was a very emotional scene and a day I’ll never forget.”
He continued, “It’s kind of like playing tennis with the best tennis player in the world. They can put the ball exactly where they want it, and they can make you feel a lot better about yourself, probably. And Harrison’s that way. He can, with a gesture, with his presence and just by the faith that he has in you. He gave me that gift and that really was so inspiring, the confidence that he had in me. Those scenes really meant a lot and affected me deeply. I had the opportunity to play with one of the best ever. Harrison is a hero to me. He is a legend. I think that scene in particular I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
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Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters Oct. 6, 2017.
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