Editing Jared Leto (section)

=== 1992–1999: Early acting roles, ''Prefontaine'' and Thirty Seconds to Mars ===
[[File:Jared Leto, Paley Center 1995.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Leto at a press conference for ''[[My So-Called Life]]'' in 1995]]
In 1992, Leto moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in directing, intending to take acting roles on the side.{{sfn|Berk|2014|p=96}} He found minor roles on television shows but his first break came in 1994 when he was cast opposite [[Claire Danes]] as Jordan Catalano, her love interest, in the short-lived but well-reviewed [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] teen drama ''[[My So-Called Life]]''.<ref name=IrishIndependent/> The show was praised for its portrayal of adolescence and, despite its cancellation after one season, gained a strong [[cult following]].{{sfn|Lavery|2010|p=174}} The same year, Leto made his television film debut starring alongside [[Alicia Silverstone]] in ''[[Cool and the Crazy]]'', and landed his first film role in the 1995 drama ''[[How to Make an American Quilt]]''. He later co-starred with [[Christina Ricci]] in ''[[The Last of the High Kings]]'' (1996) and got a supporting role in ''[[Switchback (film)|Switchback]]'' (1997).<ref name="Marx"/>

In 1997, Leto starred in the biopic ''[[Prefontaine (film)|Prefontaine]]'' as Olympic hopeful [[Steve Prefontaine]]. To prepare for the role, Leto immersed himself in the runner's life, training for six weeks and meeting with members of his family and friends.{{sfn|Keeps|1997|p=160}} He bore a striking resemblance to the real Prefontaine, also adopting the athlete's voice and upright running style.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals-and-awards/prefontaine-premieres-at-sundance|title='Prefontaine' premieres at Sundance|first=Roger|last=Ebert|publisher=Roger Ebert|date=January 23, 1997|access-date=December 8, 2013}}</ref> His portrayal received positive reviews from critics and is often considered his breakthrough role.{{sfn|Keeps|1997|p=162}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/prefontaine-1117432640/|title=Prefontaine|first=Todd|last=McCarthy|date=February 1, 1997|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=June 14, 2011}}</ref> Peter Stack of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' noted: "With hypnotic blue eyes and dirty blond hair, Leto captures the rock-star style Prefontaine affected, and he looks natural in fiery performances on the track, as well as off, where Pre affected a brash, confrontational style."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Prefontaine-Has-Legs-Biopic-on-doomed-runner-2856808.php|title='Prefontaine' Has Legs / Biopic on doomed runner a winner|first=Peter|last=Stack|date=January 24, 1997|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=June 14, 2011}}</ref>

After landing the lead role of a British aristocrat in the 1998 drama ''[[Basil (film)|Basil]]'', Leto starred in the horror ''[[Urban Legend (film)|Urban Legend]]''. It was poorly received by most critics, but was a financial success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/urban_legend/|title=Urban Legend (1998)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=September 25, 1998 |publisher=[[Flixster]]|access-date=December 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Urban Legend (1998)|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=urbanlegend.htm|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref> That year, [[Terrence Malick]] cast Leto for a supporting role in the war film ''[[The Thin Red Line (1998 film)|The Thin Red Line]]'' alongside [[Sean Penn]] and [[Adrien Brody]].<ref>{{cite web|last=De Coster|first=Ramzi|title=The Hollywood Reporter's Actors Roundtable: The Trials and Tribulations of Acting|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/the-hollywood-reporters-actors-roundtable-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-acting|publisher=[[Indiewire]]|date=October 31, 2013|access-date=January 24, 2014}}</ref> It garnered mostly positive reviews and was a moderate success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1084146-thin_red_line/|title=The Thin Red Line (1998)|work=Rotten Tomatoes|date=December 25, 1998 |publisher=Flixster|access-date=December 7, 2013}}</ref> It received multiple awards and nominations, including seven [[Academy Award]] nominations; Leto shared a [[Satellite Award]] with the rest of the cast.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nominees & Winners for the 71st Academy Awards|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/oscarlegacy/1990-1999/71nominees.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619181528/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/oscarlegacy/1990-1999/71nominees.html|archive-date=June 19, 2013 |publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|access-date=January 24, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards1999.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718092614/http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards1999.shtml|title=1999 3rd Annual Satellite™ Awards|archive-date=July 18, 2011|publisher=[[International Press Academy]]|access-date=December 8, 2013}}</ref>

Leto formed the rock band [[Thirty Seconds to Mars]] in 1998 in Los Angeles, California with his brother Shannon. When the group first started, Jared Leto did not allow his position of Hollywood actor to be used in promotion of the band.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Lauren|last=Tagliaferro|date=June 23, 2006|title=30 Seconds to Mars|journal=The Buffalo News|quote=Not content to be defined merely as "Jared Leto's band," 30 Seconds to Mars has fought to be respected as a group of formidable musicians – even refusing to play at venues that use Leto's movie-star status to promote them.}}</ref> Their debut album had been in the works for a couple of years, with Leto writing the majority of the songs.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020507052412/http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2002/04/0103.cfm|url=http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2002/04/0103.cfm|title=Jared Leto: From Hollywood To Mars|first=Debbie|last=Bento|date=April 1, 2002|archive-date=May 7, 2002|work=[[ChartAttack]]|url-status=usurped|access-date=July 22, 2011}}</ref> Their work led to a number of record labels being interested in signing Thirty Seconds to Mars, which eventually signed to [[Immortal Records]].{{sfn|LaGambina|2002|p=20}}

In 1999, Leto played a gay high school teacher who attracts the attention of [[Robert Downey, Jr.]]'s character in ''[[Black and White (1999 drama film)|Black and White]]'', and had a supporting role in the drama ''[[Girl, Interrupted (film)|Girl, Interrupted]]'', an adaptation of the [[Girl, Interrupted|memoir of the same name]] by [[Susanna Kaysen]]. He then portrayed Angel Face in ''[[Fight Club]]'' (1999), a film adaptation of [[Chuck Palahniuk]]'s [[Fight Club (novel)|novel of the same name]], directed by [[David Fincher]].<ref name="tribune"/>