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As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but notice that despite being one of the standout meta slashers after the Scream phenomenon, it seems like Jared Leto deliberately feigned ignorance about Urban Legend – a film where he played the male lead. The success of the Scream franchise ignited a wave of self-referential slasher films, including movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cherry Falls, even influencing legacy sequels such as Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. One of my favorite entries in this genre is Jared Leto’s horror movie Urban Legend from 1998.

A group of college students were targeted by a murderer, mimicking chilling city myths like the “backseat stranger.” Although the film Urban Legend scored 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and tends to be too polished and grandiose to genuinely scare, it remains an entertaining representation of its genre from the late ’90s. The movie showcases a talented ensemble, including Joshua Jackson, Michael Rosenbaum, Alicia Witt (known for her role in Longlegs), and Jared Leto as the arrogant journalism student Paul, who eventually becomes a suspect as well.

Jared Leto Claimed To Have Never Heard Of Urban Legend During An Interview

Jared Leto apparently memory holed the slasher

Before starring in “Urban Legend”, Leto had limited acting credits under his belt, such as the Dennis Quaid thriller “Switchback”. However, starting from 1998, he would become known for a series of modern classics like “Fight Club”, “American Psycho”, and the intense addiction drama “Requiem for a Dream”. During an interview with IGN in 2000, they discussed his career to that point. Interestingly, when asked about “Urban Legend” just two years after its release, Leto appeared to have entirely forgotten that he had starred in it.

IGN: When you did Urban Legend.

Jared Leto: What’s that?

IGN: That horror flick you did back in 1998.

JL: I didn’t do that.

IGN: Yeah you did. You were the college newspaper reporter…

JL: I was?

IGN: Yeah.

JL: Get the **** outta here! What are you talkin’ about [laughs].

IGN: Urban Legend, dude. That horror movie about urban myths with Rebecca Gayheart.

JL: I don’t even remember that.

IGN: Okay…obviously it wasn’t that good of an experience then.

JL: [laughs] I don’t even know what you’re talkin’ about dude.

In a different phrasing: As the main character, you were surrounded by a college newspaper reporter and many students who seemed to be in dire straits at your side.

JL: That’s so weird. I’ve never even heard of that movie.

IGN: You’re kidding, right?

JL: No.

IGN: Alright, dude.

JL: [laughs]

IGN: Seems like you’ve erased a minor historical footnote in your burgeoning film career.

JL: I must of had a blackout [laughs].

Spence D from IGN seems to suspect that Leto is joking when he claims to be unaware of the movie Urban Legend. However, instead of admitting it, Leto repeatedly insists on his lack of knowledge about the film, suggesting that it’s not one of his favorites and prefers to steer the conversation elsewhere. In essence, it appears that Leto is not particularly fond of the movie and is using his feigned ignorance as a humorous tactic to divert the discussion. While IGN’s interviewer might have felt uncomfortable in the moment, Leto’s approach to the situation is not malicious or rude; he’s turning an awkward situation into a light-hearted comedy routine.

During the interview, Leto implies that he disliked the movie “Urban Legend” by mentioning a blackout incident and saying, “You live and you learn, you know what I mean?” This suggests that he regrets being involved in the project. However, it’s important to note that this is just his opinion, and while “Urban Legend” may not have been one of his best projects, it’s certainly not his worst (taking into account his more recent work like “Morbius”).

Why Jared Leto Pretended He Wasn’t In Urban Legend

Leto’s career was already on a different track in 2000

Between his roles in “Urban Legend” and “Requiem for a Dream”, Jared Leto collaborated with directors such as Terrence Malick, David Fincher, and Darren Aronofsky. For the latter film, he went to great lengths to portray a drug addict convincingly, losing a significant amount of weight through fasting. Critics lauded Leto’s performance in the 2000 drama, and some even speculated that it might generate awards buzz for the movie. It seems plausible that Leto chose to distance himself from “Urban Legend” during his interview with IGN, as he was likely aiming to be recognized as a serious actor at that time.

In his subsequent roles, Leto worked under renowned film directors, and he found himself playing more captivating characters than the one in “Urban Legends,” portrayed by Paul. It’s likely that for Leto, “Urban Legend” was a well-paying opportunity to demonstrate his leading man abilities. However, its poor critical reception probably made him feel it was best to move on and leave such projects behind. It’s worth mentioning that he never reprised a role in anything similar to a slasher film, even though he did take on roles in films like “Moebius” and “Haunted Mansion,” which can be considered horror-related but not slashers.

Discussions are circulating about a potential revival of the Urban Legend, yet if it turns out to be a continuation of the original series, fans might not see Jared Leto reprising his role. It’s likely for the better in this case; the character Paul wasn’t particularly complex, and Leto’s detached, somewhat distant portrayal doesn’t enhance the slasher genre significantly.

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2025-05-30 16:18