Jared Leto will be playing the recently deceased Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in an upcoming biopic, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film will be directed by Brett Ratner, who had the following to say:
“Jared is an old friend,” says Ratner, 48, who will direct the film. “When he heard I got the rights to Hef’s story, he told me, ‘I want to play him. I want to understand him.’ And I really believe Jared can do it. He’s one of the great actors of today.”
Robert Downey Jr. was initially attached to play the role of Hefner.
If it’s anything like Leto’s other roles, we know he will be going all out. He even very recently had some strong words for those who don’t like the way he works (while specifically talking about his portrayal of The Joker):
“Was I focused when doing all of these scenes? Of course. You’re stepping into big shoes. Look. You work the way you work. I work the way I work. You can kiss my ass if you don’t like it. I’m talking to the public. You know.”
It’s also been said that he took his method acting to an insane level in Blade Runner 2049 – according to director Denis Villeneuve:
“He entered the room, and he could not see at all. He was walking with an assistant, very slowly. It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple. Everybody became super silent, and there was a kind of sacred moment. Everyone was in awe. It was so beautiful and powerful—I was moved to tears. And that was just a camera test!”
It’ll definitely be interesting to see how he handles the role of Hugh Hefner.