One of Hollywood's most recognizable stars is facing a wave of accusations that he strongly denies. Actor Jared Leto is addressing new allegations of sexual misconduct after a new BBC documentary featured ten women making accusations against him.
Leto is a major Hollywood figure whose career spans awards and blockbusters. He won an Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club and has starred in a string of movies, including Tron Ares and Masters of the Universe, giving the allegations added prominence.
The accusations are laid out in a documentary titled Jared Leto, Hollywood's Dark Secret. In it, ten women speak about the actor, with their accounts forming the basis of the new scrutiny he is now facing publicly.
A number of the accusers describe encounters that date back years. Four of the women say they were teenagers when they met Leto, who was in his 30s and 40s at the time, according to the accounts featured in the documentary.
Among the specific claims, one woman says Leto sexually assaulted her when she was 17, alleging that he approached her at a Las Vegas mall where she worked. Another woman says she told Leto she was underage, noting that the age of consent in California is 18, and alleges that they had sex when she was 17.
The allegations remain unproven and untested in court. Leto has not been charged with a crime, and ABC News has said it has not independently verified the claims made by the women in the documentary.
Leto has rejected the accusations in the strongest terms. Responding to the allegations, he said that he has never sexually assaulted anyone in his entire life, and called the claims absolutely and categorically false.