Name	mtvU
Logofile	MtvU.PNG
Logosize	200px
Logoalt	mtvU logo
Headquarters	New York City
Network	MTV Networks
Owner	Viacom
Country	United States
Broadcast area	Closed-circuit on U.S. college campuses, digital cable
Headquarters	New York City
Former names	College Television Network
Sister stations	MTV, MTV2
Web	mtvU.com }}

mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages. It provides a more targeted alternative to MTV, and gives advertisers and music promotion companies access to college-age viewers, access that universities offer in an attempt to attract students to on-campus housing. The music played on the station is primarily indie rock, pop punk and hip-hop.

History

MTV Network's proposal for a channel targeting college students, tentatively called MTV University, became public in February 2002. According to ''The New York Times'', the channel was seeking to compete with Burly Bear Network, which was on 450 campuses and attracting nearly a million viewers a week, along with College Television Network (CTN) and the most recent entrant at the time, Zilo. CTN began as a venture that installed video jukeboxes on campuses.

Seven months later, after CTN was in financial trouble and National Lampoon had just acquired the defunct Burly Bear, MTV Networks acquired CTN for $15 million.

In February 2008, MTV Networks discontinued VH1 Uno, a sparsely-viewed Spanish music video channel, and it replaced that channel with mtvU, to expand the channel's distribution further into regular cable homes.

Programming

According to its promotional materials, mtvU broadcasts exclusive content dedicated to aspects of college life, including music, news, and on-campus events. The channel was the first MTV network to stream all of its content online. On-campus events include the Campus Invasion tour, featuring up-and-coming bands; the GAME0Rz Ball tour, which brings new video games to campus; and Tailgate Tour, which provides mtvU with a presence at campus tailgates. mtvU shows include Dean's List, the mtvU Awards, and mtvU Spring Break.

mtvU plays a mix of music with an emphasis on emerging artists. (mtvU VIDEO PREMIERES) Each hour, mtvU broadcasts news updates from ABC News (formerly CBS News, changed in late 2006 in the wake of the Viacom/CBS separation), including international news and college-related news. Twice an hour, MTV News airs stories on subjects such as music downloading, and musical artists under promotion by mtvU.

Additionally, mtvU airs several original programs pro duced by and featuring college students. ''The Freshmen'' features three rotating student panelists discussing new music videos and is hosted by Kim Stolz; ''Stand-In'' brings celebrities and intellectuals into college classrooms to teach for a day, and has featured people as diverse as Nobel Laureates Elie Wiesel and Shimon Peres; Madonna; John McCain; Marilyn Manson; and Jhumpa Lahiri.

It has also started a social networking site "Meet or Delete" along with Hewlett Packard.

Awards

Woodie Awards

mtvU has its own annual awards show, the Woodie Awards, which they say recognizes "the music voted best by college students." Previous winners have included 2005's Death Cab for Cutie, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Afters; 2006 winners include 30 Seconds to Mars, Plain White T's, mewithoutYou, The Subways and Gnarls Barkley. The 2006 ceremony was also notable for Jared Leto's altercation with Elijah Wood and Scott from the music blog Stereogum. The 2008 awards had a huge fan voting for the Best Music On Campus award, where The Bride Wore Black won the award and Chasing Arrows came in right behind. Winners at the 2008 Woodie Awards included Paramore and There for Tomorrow. Winners at the 2009 Woodie Awards included Green Day, Kings of Leon, Matt & Kim, NeverShoutNever, Tech N9ne and Hotel of the Laughing Tree.

Awards for students

The online game ''Darfur is Dying'' was developed as part of an mtvU contest, and other Sudan genocide coverage won mtvU two Emmys, including the 2006 Governors Award. mtvU also provides grants for student activists, giving away $1000 a week to various student groups. Currently, mtvU is also cosponsoring the ecomagination Challenge with GE, which aims to empower college students to solve environmental problems on campuses. mtvU also sponsored the Film Your Issue competition, a competition designed to encourage college-age filmmakers to make short political pieces, and aired the winners.

Other opportunities mtvU provides for college students include Digital Incubator grants, which award students who are pioneering the future of broadband content, and the Student Filmmaker Award, which provides the winner with the chance to receive a development deal with mtvU and collect the award at the MTV Movie Awards. Besides these competitions, mtvU makes efforts to use student work through its programming.

List of mtvU VJs

Carly Henderson (current)

Kim Stolz

Dana-Sky Faison

Gardner Loulan

Josh McCutcheon

Sarah Messer

Sara Baiyu Chen (former)

Taiwan Brown (former)

Michelle Yu (former) (now a TVG Network Reporter)*

References

External links

mtvU.com

mtvU Woodie Awards

mtvU VIDEO PREMIERES

Category:MTV Networks Category:Music video networks Category:Television channels and stations established in 2008 Category:English-language television stations in the United States Category:Companies based in New York City Category:Viacom subsidiaries

es:MtvU sv:MtvU

name	Skylar Grey
background	solo_singer
birth name	Holly Brook Hafermann
alias	Holly Brook
birth date	February 23, 1986
origin	Mazomanie, Wisconsin,
instrument	Vocals, piano, guitar
genre	Pop, soul, folk rock, rock, hip hop
occupation	Singer, songwriter, record producer
years active	2004–present
label	KIDinaKORNER, Interscope, Machine Shop
website	}}

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986), better known by her stage name Skylar Grey, is a Grammy-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Grey was signed to Machine Shop Recordings under the name Holly Brook. She released her debut album as Holly Brook, ''Like Blood Like Honey'', in 2006. She co-wrote the three versions of "Love the Way You Lie" with Alex da Kid, who signed her to his Wonderland Music label. She was featured as a guest vocalist on Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go" and "Be Somebody", Diddy-Dirty Money's "Coming Home", Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor" and Lupe Fiasco's "Words I Never Said".

Life and career

2001–2010: Early life and career beginnings

Grey performed professionally as a child in a folk duo with her mother called Generations. Together, (with producer/engineer Randy Green) they independently produced three albums, ''Dream Maker'', ''Lift Me'', and ''Millennial Child/Waiting For You''. Grey started her first band at the age of fifteen after 'sneaking' into bars, working with jazz musicians including Jeff Eckles, Tim Whalen and Leo Sidran in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 2003, Brook moved to Los Angeles and recorded a demo, which led to her being signed by Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson to the band's vanity label, Machine Shop Recordings, at age 18 in the fall of 2004. Her voice is featured on the Fort Minor songs "Where'd You Go" and "Be Somebody". Working with producer Jonathan Ingoldsby, Brook released her debut album, ''Like Blood Like Honey'', on June 6, 2006. She landed opening spots for tours with Jamie Cullum, KD Lang, Daniel Powter, Teddy Geiger and Duncan Sheik.

In 2010, Brook lent both her song "It's Raining Again" and her image to a promotional campaign for Ciao Water. Prior to this, she has appeared on albums by other artists, including Brie Larson's ''Finally Out of P.E.'', and Fort Minor's ''The Rising Tied''. Brook has toured with as part of Duncan Sheik's band, and appears heavily on his 2009 album ''Whisper House''. At the beginning in 2010 she also performed in the theatrical version of "Whisper House," playing one of the two lead ghost vocalists along with David Poe. Also in 2010, she self-released the seven-song ''O’Dark:Thirty EP'', produced by Duncan Sheik and Jon Ingoldsby. In 2009, Brook appeared as a backing vocalist on Eurovision contestant, Yohanna's debut album, ''Butterflies and Elvis''.

2011–present: ''Invinsible''

Brook later changed her name to Skylar Grey. She explained that “it represents the unknowns in life. People seem to be afraid of the unknowns, but I’m the complete opposite. I dive into the unknown because I feel like that’s where all your possibilities come from.”

She was still living in Oregon and had no recognition as Skylar Grey. Grey went to New York to meet her publicist and was introduced to Alex da Kid, who played Grey the song "Airplanes" by B.O.B and Hayley Williams which he produced. Grey liked what she heard and sent Alex da Kid the songs "Love The Way You Lie" Parts I, II and III.

Producer Alex da Kid signed her to a production deal on his KIDinaKORNER imprint. She helped write sections of all three versions of "Love the Way You Lie" by rapper Eminem and Rihanna as well as performing the demo for the song. Grey earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year for her writing contributions to "Love the Way You Lie". She also co-wrote Diddy-Dirty Money's "Coming Home", along with "Castle Walls" by T.I. and Christina Aguilera. On March 10, 2011, Diddy-Dirty Money performed the single "Coming Home" with Grey and two female background vocalists Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, live on ''American Idol''.

She is also a featured guest on "I Need a Doctor". Grey is also featured on Lupe Fiasco's third studio album ''Lasers'', on the second single, "Words I Never Said" and was also featured in the live performance of the song, with Lupe, on ''The Colbert Report'' on May 9, 2011. Grey made her live performance debut under her new alias during the 53rd Grammy Awards, performing "I Need a Doctor" alongside Eminem and Dr. Dre. She is currently working on her solo studio album ''Invinsible'' with Alex Da Kid. She has signed to Interscope Records through Da Kid's KIDinaKORNER, and her first promotional buzz single "Dance Without You" was released on June 6, 2011, with the official music video being released on July 5. The first official single "Invisible" was released to radio on June 16. On July 9, 2011, Grey performed live at the World Peace Event in Washington, DC, appearing along with the 14th Dalai Lama. On the 6th of August, she peformed at the 20th Lollaplooza festival as both a solo artist and with Eminem during the song "I Need A Doctor". The next day, while passing by the area where YouTube sensation Karmin was recording their cover of "I Need A Doctor," Skylar joined the duo for an impromptu performance.

Influences

Grey has listed Marilyn Manson, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan and Death Cab for Cutie as her influences.

Discography

''Like Blood Like Honey'' (2006)

''Invinsible'' (2011)

References

External links

Category:1986 births Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American female singers Category:American pop pianists Category:American female guitarists Category:Living people Category:People from Dane County, Wisconsin Category:Songwriters from Wisconsin

ar:سكايلر غري da:Skylar Grey de:Skylar Grey fr:Skylar Grey it:Skylar Grey he:סקיילר גריי nl:Skylar Grey no:Holly Brook pl:Skylar Grey pt:Skylar Grey ru:Скайлар Грей zh-yue:Holly Brook

Name	Yak Ballz
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Yashar Zadeh
Origin	Flushing, Queens, New York, United States
Birth date	April 13, 1982
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1998 - present
Label	Fondle'em RecordsEastern Conference RecordsDefinitive Jux RecordsFloSpot Records
Associated acts	The WeathermenCardboard City
Website	YakBallz.net Yak Ballz Myspace }}

Yak Ballz, born Yashar Zadeh is an American independent hip hop artist, who was brought up in Flushing, Queens, New York. He is one of the original members of The Weathermen. He is also a member of Cardboard City.

Early life

In his youth, Yak spent a lot of his time using his imagination and creativity to draw and paint. He became enamored with the rebel art of graffiti. He was inspired by Cost, Revs, Uend, and his TCK (True City Killers) brethren. Yak turned to writing as an outlet for expression and a form of therapy due to his mother being overprotective about their neighborhood in Queens at the time. Thanks to his best friend’s older brother, Vaz (of 89.9-FM WKCR’s legendary “Night Train” hip-hop show), while in high school Yak landed a gig interning at Bobbito Garcia’s Footwork store in downtown Manhattan where he saw a myriad of flyers promoting Hip Hop shows all over the city. At the age of 16 he entered the Braggin’ Rites MC battle; he took second place and was the youngest person in the competition. Yak would go on to achieve first runner-up honors two more times after that, but more importantly, the aspiring MC grabbed the attention of several interested people in attendance, including Armando “Mondee” Torres and Brett Scott, who approached Vaz about getting Yak to appear on their new mixtape. At the urging of Vaz, the MC agreed to work with Mondee. This would lead to a lasting music relationship.

Breaking Out

Bobbito Garcia, world renown radio personality known for breaking records and introducing new talent in New York City during the Indie Hip Hop boom in the mid to late 90’s, liked Yak’s demo, ''Flossin’'', so much that he put it in rotation on his CM Famalam show on 89.9-FM WKCR in New York. He later invited Yak to appear on the show in 1998. After a few impressive appearances on WKCR, and ''Flossin’'' gaining regular rotation, Bobbito approached Yak about some new original music. Yak's lyrics caught the attention of Cage, who was impressed enough to reach out to him; making him an original member of The Weathermen.

Followup Releases

Soon after, Yak released his first 12-inch, ''Homepiss'' in 2000, courtesy of Bobbito and his Fondle’em label. His 4-song EP was released featuring ''Flossin''', ''The Plague'', ''Nasty or Nice'', and ''Homepiss''.

The Freakshow

In 2001, Yak followed up the EP with a stand-out 3 song vinyl 12-inch, ''The Freakshow'', which was one of the first ever 12-inch releases by the indie Hip Hop label Definitive Jux.Vinyl specialty stores and Web sites quickly sold out of the three-song 12-inch that featured cover art by TCK brother Ewok One 5MH. El-P even included ''The Freak Show'' on 2002’s ''Definitive Jux Presents 2'' compilation album.

While You Where Sleeping

In 2003, he released ''While You Were Sleeping'' b/w ''The Drill'' 12-inch with Traffic Entertainment. Once Eastern Conference Records, then home to fellow Weathermen; Cage and Tame One, heard of this single they moved to sign Yak to an album deal. After working on The Weathermen’s ''Conspiracy'' mixtape (2003) Yak Ballz released his first album, ''My Claim'' in 2004 with guest appearances from both Cage and Tame One. He worked with producer Mondee for production and engineer Joe Raia. His lyrical content on ''My Claim'' was fueled by his Queens life and college experiences. After leaving Eastern Conference, Yak put out a mixtape in 2005, ''The Missing Cassettes'' consisting of rare and unreleased material.

Scifentology

In 2006 he released ''Scifentology'', a mixtape put out by Yak himself and Scifen clothing company which features cover art by Ewok One 5MH. Yak’s lyrics became more introspective and the beats changed on ''Scifentology'' by relying more on rock and synthesized instrumentation . The mixtape started as an innocent idea and promotional tool to help cross-market Yak with the Scifen clothing brand, but it quickly became one of the most talked-about mixtapes of the year within the indie Hip Hop world in ‘06 .

Scifentology II

January 2008, Yak released his sophomore effort, ''Scifentology II'' on FloSpot Records in conjunction with Scifen Clothing. ''Scifentology II'' features production from the likes of Aesop Rock, the late Camu Tao, Mondee, Chapter 7, Adept, and Chris Maestro TCK. It also has guest appearances from Cage, Tame One and Slow Suicide Stimulus. The album is packed tight with cathartic rhymes of grit, wit, shuddering images, and has received critical acclaim . Ewok One 5MH, premier urban artist and senior designer for Scifen clothing, also designed ''Scifentology II'''s full-color cover. Feb 2009, “Dirt Empire,” produced by Aesop Rock, won the MTVu Best Freshman Video with over 40,000 views.

Current Work and Education

Currently, Yak is working on a extended play called 'Gas Galaxy', due out on Definitive Jux sometime in fall of 2009. Yak has performed the title song in support of Cage's Depart From Me tour. Yak is a graduate from New Paltz State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

Selected discography

Albums

''My Claim'' (Eastern Conference Records/Caroline - 2004)+

''Scifentology I'' (Scifen Records - 2006)

''Scifentology II'' (FloSpot Records- 2008)

"onomatopoeia" featuring Johnny 5

12 Inch Releases

"Homepiss" / "Nasty or Nice" b/w "The Plague" / "Flossin" (Fondle'em Records - 2000)

"The Freakshow" b/w "For the Critics"/ "Reign" (Definitive Jux Records - 2001)

"The Drill" b/w "While You Were Sleeping" (Jersey Roots Entertainment/Traffic - 2003)

Compilations

“Flossin” - ''Farewell Fondle'em'' (Definitive Jux Records - 2001)

"The Freakshow" ''Definitive Jux Presents II'' (Definitive Jux Records – 2002)

"5 Left In the Clip" with The Weathermen - ''Eastern Conference Allstars III'' (Eastern Conference Records - 2003)

"Let the Games Begin" feat. Vast Aire - ''Eastern Conference Allstars IV'' (Eastern Conference Records - 2004)

Appears On

2003: "5 Left in The Clip" b/w "5 Left in The Clip Remix" 12-inch from ''The Weathermen'' album (Eastern Conference Records)

2004: "Got Wet?" from the Leak Bros (Cage and Tame One) album ''Waterworld'' (Eastern Conference Records)

2004: "High Fidelity" from the Tame One album "O.G. Bobby Johnson" (Eastern Conference Records)

2005: "Get Da Duh" 12-Inch ''Kosha Dillz'' (Matza 4 Yo’ Mouf Records)

2005: "Left It To Us" from the Cage album ''Hell's Winter'' feat. The Weathermen (Aesop Rock, El-P, Tame One, Cage, Yak Ballz) (Definitive Jux Records)

2006: "Antidote" from the Slow Suicide Stimulus album ''Slow Suicide Stimulus'' (FloSpot Records)

2006: "Say Cheese" from the Slow Suicide Stimulus album ''Slow Suicide Stimulus'' (FloSpot Records)

2009: “The Baskervilles (AmpLive Die Hard Remix)” from the Fight Night Round 4 Soundtrack feat Aesop Rock and Yak Ballz

2009: "Corruption As Usual" and "Chromatics (CCM)" from the Chapter 7 album "The Color Scheme"

Mix CD's

2005: ''The Missing Cassettes''

2006: ''Scifentology: The Mixtape''

Notes and references

External links

YakBallz.net

Yak Ballz Myspace

Yak Ballz Tv - youtube

Yak Ballz IMEEM

Category:1982 births Category:American people of Iranian descent Category:Living people Category:People from Flushing, Queens Category:Rappers from New York City Category:State University of New York at New Paltz alumni

name	Jordan Mark Witzigreuter
born	November 14, 1989 (Age 21)
origin	Greenwood, Indiana
genre	Electronica, indie pop
years active	2007–present
label	Decaydance, Sire, Beluga Heights
associated acts	Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, Never Shout Never, Breathe Carolina, Breath Electric
website
current members	Jordan Witzigreuter
background	non_performing_personnel }}

The Ready Set was formed on November 17, 2007. Jordan Witzigreuter is the vocalist and sole member of the act. Witzigreuter generally writes and records on his own, using a backup band when on tour. He has once stated, "The Ready Set is, always has been, and always will be just me." The name was adopted due to the artist's concerns that his last name, Witzigreuter, would be difficult for people to pronounce. Jordan resides in his hometown, Fort Wayne, Indiana, when he is not on tour or recording in Los Angeles, California.

Biography

Jordan started playing the drums at the age of eleven and played in local coffee shops whenever he was given the chance. Before forming The Ready Set, Witzigreuter played in several bands such as the hardcore-ska band Take Sides and the hardcore band Saints Never Surrender, with whom he spent a summer touring. When he first started writing lyrics, Jordan was a vocalist in the acoustic duo Brideandgroom. Before being signed to Pete Wentz's record label, he recorded in his parents' tantrum castle in Fort Wayne.

Pete Wentz, member of the punk band Fall Out Boy, signed The Ready Set to his label Decaydance Records on November 24, 2009. Wentz assisted Jordan in releasing his debut full-length ''I'm Alive, I'm Dreaming''.

It was announced on August 17th, 2011 that a new EP, Feel Good Now, would be released on October 11, 2011.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak positions
		! width="50"
''Tantrum Castle''		* Release date: March. 27, 2009	* Label: self-released	Compact disc>CD, music download	—
''I'm Alive, I'm Dreaming''		* Release date: June 9, 2010	* Label: Decaydance Records	* Formats: CD, music download	3

Extended plays

Title	Details
''Cascades EP''		* Release date: April 29, 2009	* Label: self-released	* Formats: Music download
''Feel Good Now''		* TBR: October 11, 2011	* Label: Decaydance Records	* Formats: CD, music download

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions			Album
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
	"[[Love Like Woe">Music recording sales certification	Album
! width="45"	! width="45"		! width="45"
	"[[Love Like Woe"	27	35	15		Recording Industry Association of America>US: Platinum
"More Than Alive"	—	—	—
	"Young Forever"	—	—	39
"Hollywood Dream"	—	—	—

References

Category:American electronic musicians Category:Living people Category:1989 births

de:The Ready Set

birth name	Jared Joseph Leto
birth date	December 26, 1971
birth place	Bossier City, Louisiana, U.S.
other names	Bartholomew Cubbins, Angakok Panipaq
occupation	Musician, composer, singer, songwriter, producer, actor, director, photographer
years active	1992–present
relatives	Shannon Leto (brother) }}

Jared Joseph Leto (born December 26, 1971) is an American actor, director, producer and musician. Leto has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing brooding heartthrob Jordan Catalano in the cult hit teenage drama ''My So-Called Life'' (1994), becoming a teen idol. He later made his film debut in the drama ''How to Make an American Quilt'' (1995) and received first notable critical praise for his performance in ''Prefontaine'' (1997). Leto obtained recognition for his subsequent work in supporting roles in ''The Thin Red Line'' (1998) and ''Girl, Interrupted'' (1999), as well as the leading role in the successful horror film ''Urban Legend'' (1998), and earned critical acclaim after portraying heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in Darren Aronofsky's ''Requiem for a Dream'' (2000). He has collaborated with director David Fincher in ''Fight Club'' (1999) and ''Panic Room'' (2002). Since the 2000s, Leto has been nominated for awards for his work in such films as ''American Psycho'' (2000), ''Highway'' (2002), ''Lord of War'' (2005), ''Lonely Hearts'' (2006), ''Chapter 27'' (2007), and ''Mr. Nobody'' (2009).

Aside from his film career, Leto is the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter for the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. He formed the band in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, along with his older brother Shannon Leto. Signed with Immortal and Virgin, 30 Seconds to Mars released their self-titled debut album in 2002 to positive reviews. The band's follow-up album, ''A Beautiful Lie'' (2005), was a breakthrough success, going platinum in several countries. However their record label Virgin, filed a $30 million lawsuit against the Leto brothers accusing them as breaching their contract. The lawsuit was later annulled as the band decided to resign to Virgin, and ''This Is War'', the band's third album, arrived in December 2009 to critical praise. Leto has also directed several critically acclaimed band's music videos, including the MTV Video Music Award nominated "The Kill" (2006), "Kings and Queens" (2009), and "Hurricane" (2010).

Early life and education

Jared Joseph Leto was born December 26, 1971, in Bossier City, Louisiana. His parents divorced when he was a child, leaving him in the care of his mother, Constance. This separation led to a traveling life with young Jared moving with his family – mother Constance Leto, older brother Shannon Leto and grandfather – from his native Louisiana to different cities in Colorado, Virginia, Wyoming, and Haiti. "My mom's father was in the Air Force," Leto explained, "so moving around a lot was a normal way of life." His father remarried and died soon after. Leto has two younger half-brothers from his father's second marriage. Leto wanted to help his family and became a dishwasher at small snack-bar at 12, and he was a doorman at 16. Constance Leto always encouraged children’s craving for art. "I grew up in environment of actors, musicians, photographers, artists and different theatrical persons," he stated in an interview with ''Kerrang!''; "Through this atmosphere there were no any clear boundaries and straight lines. We were proclaiming a freedom of creation and self-expression." His first musical instrument was a broken-down piano and he grew up singing classic rock, from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin.

After dropping out briefly in the 10th grade, Leto decided to return and focus on his education at the private Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia, but graduated from Emerson Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., in 1989. When he finished school, Leto enrolled at Philadelphia's University of the Arts and majored in painting. However, after developing an interest in acting, he transferred to New York City's School of Visual Arts, where he majored in filmmaking. While he was a student there, he wrote and starred in his own short film, ''Crying Joy''.

Acting career

1992–97: Early work

In 1992, Leto moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. Starring and writing his own film while in school, Leto got his first roles in such shows as ''Camp Wilder'' (1992) and ''Almost Home'' (1993) before he becoming a regular in the 1994 series ''My So-Called Life'' as the object of Claire Danes' affection, Jordan Catalano. In 1994, Leto also made his television film debut in ''Cool and the Crazy''. Gaining a reputation as a teen idol, Leto landed his first film role in the 1995 drama ''How to Make an American Quilt''. Leto later co-starred with Christina Ricci in ''The Last of the High Kings'' and appeared in ''Switchback''.

1997–99: Early critical success

Leto took his first leading role in 1997's ''Prefontaine'', a docudrama that chronicles the tragic life of Steve Prefontaine, an Olympic hopeful in long-distance running; he starred opposite Ed O'Neill in this acclaimed film. For this challenging role, the actor immersed himself in the athlete's life, meeting with members of the family and Prefontaine's friends. He bore a striking resemblance to the real Prefontaine, also adopting athlete's voice and upright running style. The transformation was so complete, that when the runner's sister, Linda, first saw him in character, she broke down and cried. Critical response praised Leto's acting; Peter Stack of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' wrote, "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," while Lisa Alspector of the ''Chicago Reader'' felt that "As the driven competitor who learns to make hubris work for him, Jared Leto gives a complex performance that suggests a deep, intriguing interior to the character even as he maintains a convincing one-dimensional facade."

After landing the lead role of a British aristocratic in the 1998 drama ''Basil'', Leto starred in the teen horror hit ''Urband Legend'', one of the more successful exploitations of the teen horror genre. He plays a school journalist and love interest of Alicia Witt’s character. Together, they go up against a crazed killer that is recreating urban legend massacres. The film was a massive success commercially, though critics mostly disliked the film. Leto was then pleased to get a role in the World War II film ''The Thin Red Line'', as part of a cast including Sean Penn, Nick Nolte and Adrien Brody. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and was a moderate success at the box office. In 1999, he appeared as a gay high school teacher who attracts the attentions of Robert Downey, Jr. in James Toback's ''Black and White''. The same year, he co-starred with Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie in James Mangold's ''Girl, Interrupted'', a film that tells the story of mental patient Susanna Kaysen, and which was adapted from Kaysen's memoir of the same name. Leto was nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance, but lost to Michael Clarke Duncan for ''The Green Mile''. He was also seen in David Fincher's cult classic ''Fight Club'', a film adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name. While Edward Norton and Brad Pitt were the lead roles, Leto took the supporting role of a bleached blond Angel Face that was beaten almost beyond recognition.

2000–06: Worldwide recognition

Leto played the supporting role of Paul Allen in Mary Harron's ''American Psycho'', a film based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel of the same name. He then starred as heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in Darren Aronofsky's ''Requiem for a Dream''. To prepare for his role in the film, Leto decided to live on the streets of New York City and refrain from having sex with his then fiancé, Cameron Diaz, for two months prior to shooting. He also starved himself for months, losing 28 pounds to realistically play his heroin addict character. After the shooting of the film, Leto moved to Portugal, shaved his head and lived in a monastery for several months to gain weight. He admits that playing the part of Harry Goldfarb was "sadomasochistic... the hardest thing I've done". The same year, Leto played Glen Walker, an up-and-coming country rocker, in Adam Collis' directorial debut ''Sunset Strip''. In 2001, he co-produced and had uncredited parts in ''Sol Goode''.

After the critical success of ''Requiem for a Dream'', Leto's next role was as the lead character in 2002's ''Highway''. Set in 1994, Leto is caught with a gangster's wife and flee to Seattle with his best friend Jake Gyllenhaal in the week preceding Kurt Cobain's suicide. He was nominated for a Video Premiere Award for his performance. In 2002, Leto worked again with director David Fincher in ''Panic Room'', playing a villain who terrorizes Jodie Foster. The film grossed over $30 million in its opening weekend in the United States, the best performance of a film Leto has appeared in to date. He was also in ''Phone Booth'', playing an actor in a theater production of ''Drockula''. He and Colin Farrell's character have a quick scene in an alley. The scene was deleted from the film, but restored when the film was aired on television.

After spending two years pursuing a career in music, Leto returned to film work in 2004 in the supporting role of Hephaestion in Oliver Stone's ''Alexander''. The film failed domestically, with Stone attributing its poor reception to disapproval of the depiction of Alexander's bisexuality, but it succeeded internationally, with revenue of $139 million outside the United States. The following year Leto portrayed Nicolas Cage’s younger brother Vitaly Orlov in the action-drama ''Lord of War''. The film was well-received by most critics and received a special mention for excellence in film making from the National Board of Review. In 2005, he was also in ''Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow'', a documentary on the life and work of writer Hubert Selby, Jr. Leto later starred in 2006's ''Lonely Hearts''. Playing Fernandez, he co-starred with Salma Hayek who played the role Martha. The film received mixed responses but Leto's performance was praised by many critics who wrote "it's worth seeing for Leto's performance alone."

2007–present: Recent roles and the future

Following ''Lonely Hearts'', Leto starred in Jarrett Schaefer's directorial debut ''Chapter 27'', which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. In the film, he plays Mark David Chapman, the murderer of John Lennon. Leto gained 67 pounds for the role. Gaining the weight, he said, was tougher than dieting himself into skeletal shape for his role as drug addict Harry Goldfarb in ''Requiem for a Dream''. The abruptness of Leto's weight gain gave him gout. He had to use a wheelchair due to the stress of the sudden increase in weight put on his body. After the shooting of the film, Leto quickly went on an liquid diet. He explained, "I've been fasting ever since. I've been doing this very strange, like, lemon and cayenne pepper and water fast. I didn't eat any food for 10 days straight; I think I lost 20 pounds that first 10 days." Losing the excess weight after ''Chapter 27'' proved a challenge. "It took about a year to get back to a place that felt semi-normal," he said; "I don't know if I'll ever be back to the place I was physically. I'd never do it again; it definitely gave me some problems." The film received mixed to negative reviews, and was generally considered a disappointment. Leto's performance, however, was well-received by critics; Joe Neumaier of the ''New York Daily News'' wrote "Jared Leto gives such a gripping portrayal it's equally hard to look away" and continued "Leto's drawling, blotchy, creepy performance sets it apart," while Rex Reed praised Leto saying "a galvanizing performance by an unrecognizable Jared Leto that can truly be called unforgettable."

During this period Leto focused increasingly on his band, turning down such films as Clint Eastwood's World War II film ''Flags of Our Fathers''. On having to say no to Eastwood, Leto explained: "That's a dream come true when Clint Eastwood asks you to be in his film. I was devastated that I couldn't be a part of the film. But I had commitments, a record I had worked on for a couple of years was coming out. It was a very, very important time. It was a make or break time. It was one of those decisions that you make where you can see two paths and I think I made the right decision for myself. I'd love to work with Clint Eastwood in the future, he's one of my heroes." He was also chosen by Joby Harold to play Clayton Beresford in 2007's ''Awake''. He later turned down the role due to scheduling conflicts with his band and was replaced by Hayden Christensen.

In 2009, Leto returned to acting with ''Mr. Nobody''. Leto's role as Nemo Nobody required him to play the character as far aged as 118. The film was mostly funded through European financiers, and was given limited release. ''Variety'''s Boyd Van Hoeij praised Leto, saying "The closest the film comes to having a gravitational center are in the scenes set in 2092. What makes them soar is not the imaginative staging of the future, but Leto's performance." Bruce Kirkland of Jam! described Leto's acting as "marvelously full-blooded, brain-spinning, tour-de-force performance." Leto was nominated for the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 66th Venice International Film Festival for his performance.

In 2011, Leto narrated ''TT3D: Closer to the Edge'', a documentary film about the TT, the world-famous annual motorcycle race that takes place on the Isle of Man. The film was well-received both critically and commercially. Grossing £1.14 million, it is the seventh biggest documentary hit of all time in the United Kingdom.

Music career

1998–2002: Early years

Leto told ''Lime'' magazine, "I’ve been creating music since when I was a child. It's an inseparable part of my life. There have always been lots of people around me who love music, even in my childhood. My brother began to play drums when he was only 5 years old." In 1998, Leto founded 30 Seconds to Mars along with his older brother Shannon Leto. The band's name, said Leto, "has little to do with space, the universe or anything like that. It is a name that works on several different levels. Most importantly, it is a good representation of our sound. It's a phrase that is lyrical, suggestive, cinematic, and filled with immediacy. It has some sense of otherness to it." In 1998, 30 Seconds to Mars signed a contract with Immortal and Virgin. In 2001, guitarists Kevin Drake and Solon Bixler and bassist Matt Wachter joined the band. When 30 Seconds to Mars first started, Jared refused to let his name be used to promote the band. He wrote the majority of their songs. Even before the album was released, Puddle of Mudd invited 30 Seconds to Mars to open a six-week tour for them in the spring of 2002. The band later embarked on a North American tour to support Incubus.

2002–04: Debut album and early success

30 Seconds to Mars released the self-titled debut album in 2002, produced by Bob Ezrin, Brian Virtue and the band itself. It received generally positive reviews, and was compared to Pink Floyd, Tool, and Brian Eno. The album debuted and peaked at number 107 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the Top Heatseekers. It produced two singles, "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" and "Edge of the Earth", which reached the top ten on the UK Rock Chart. The former also became a Mainstream Rock top 40 hit and reached number one on the Heatseekers Songs. Over the years, the album has sold more than two million copies worldwide. In 2003, Solon Bixler left the band due to issues primarily related to touring and was replaced by Tomo Miličević. 30 Seconds to Mars toured extensively opening concerts for bands such as Our Lady Peace, Sevendust, and Chevelle, and took a slot on the 2003 Lollapalooza tour.

2005–08: ''A Beautiful Lie'' and mainstream success

It took three years to record ''A Beautiful Lie'', with the bandmates traveling to four different continents to work with Leto on his film sets. ''A Beautiful Lie'' differs notably from the band's self-titled debut album, both musically and lyrically. Whereas the eponymous concept album's lyrics focus on human struggle and astronomical themes, ''A Beautiful Lie'''s lyrics are more personal and the music introduces intense screaming vocals and synth effects. "On the first record I created a world, then hid behind it," Leto said. "With ''A Beautiful Lie'', it was time to take a more personal and less cerebral approach. Although this record is still full of conceptual elements and thematic ideas it is ultimately much more wrapped around the heart than the head. It's about brutal honesty, growth, change. It's an incredibly intimate look into a life that is in the crossroads. A raw emotional journey. A story of life, love, death, pain, joy, and passion. Of what it is to be human."

Released in 2005, ''A Beautiful Lie'' was the band's mainstream breakthrough. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has reached platinum and gold status in several countries, with a sales total of over 3.5 million. It was led by "Attack" which was the most added track on alternative radio in its first week, becoming a Modern Rock top 30 hit. 30 Seconds to Mars began their first headlining tour, ''Forever Night Never Day'', in March 2006. At the same time, the band released the album's second single, "The Kill", which enjoyed mainstream success; it set a record for the longest-running hit in the history of the Hot Modern Rock Tracks when it remained on the national airplay chart for more than 50 weeks, following its number three peak in 2006. Leto directed the music video for the single under the pseudonym of Bartholomew Cubbins, a recurring character in the Dr. Seuss universe. Inspired by themes of isolation and insanity present in the Stanley Kubrick's ''The Shining'', Leto said, "The idea of isolation, identity, and self discovery were all elements present in the song. I thought this light homage was a good starting point and it soon grew to include many more elements outside of Kubrick's original piece." Nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, the band won the MTV2 Award. The music video garnered a lot of recognition, including two MTV Australia Awards and a Chainsaw Award. In October 2006, the band began their ''Welcome to the Universe Tour'', sponsored by MTV2 and were supported by Head Automatica, The Receiving End of Sirens, Cobra Starship, Rock Kills Kid, and several other bands including Street Drum Corps.

In 2006, Leto created the cover art for ''The 97X Green Room: Volume 2'', a compilation of live music in which appears 30 Seconds to Mars song "Was It a Dream?". Proceeds from the album's sales benefited The Nature Conservancy. "From Yesterday", the third single from ''A Beautiful Lie'', had major success, reaching number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks and becoming 30 Seconds to Mars second top 10 hit. The short film for the single, directed by Leto, is the first ever American music video shot in the People's Republic of China in its entirety. Leto said that the video was inspired by Bernardo Bertolucci's ''The Last Emperor'' as well as the work of the Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. He explained, "That and the passion and the history of the Chinese culture. I thought it would be the perfect setting to tell the story of 'From Yesterday,' and it ended up one of those really unique things that the song and the visual images kind of collided and made something completely new." The video was voted the greatest epic video of all time on Yahoo! Music Australia, and received awards and nominations from ''Kerrang!'', ''Rock Sound'', and ''Rock on Request''. In March 2007, Matt Wachter left the group to spend more time with his family and was replaced by Tim Kelleher, performing live only.

"A Beautiful Lie" was released as the album's fourth single in some territories, including Portugal, where it reached number eight on the chart. The music video for the song, directed by Leto under the pseudonym of Angakok Panipaq, was the first one ever to be shot 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland. The video was filmed in an entirely environmentally friendly character. Proceeds from the video's sales benefited the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Shooting in Greenland was a dream come true and one of the most exciting adventures we've ever had as a band," Leto said. "Although incredibly challenging and at times it seemed just out of our reach, once we finally arrived the beauty and magnificence of the terrain, the wonderful culture of the people, and the amazing journey itself were all inspiring beyond belief. Almost everyone has heard of global warming by now but for the people of Greenland it is a real and tangible problem of today, not an issue of tomorrow. This journey changed our lives." The music video received a largely positive response, winning the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video and the MTV Asia Award for Favorite Video. In 2008, Leto also remixed "The Only One" for The Cure's extended play ''Hypnagogic States''.

2008–09: Virgin Records lawsuit

Despite their growing momentum, 30 Seconds to Mars soon found themselves at war with their label, Virgin Records. The band had attempted to sign with a new label after the ''A Beautiful Lie Tour'', prompting Virgin to file a lawsuit for $30 million, claiming that the band had failed to produce three of the five records they were obligated to deliver under their 1999 contract with the now-defunct Immortal Records. Leto responded to some of the claims in the suit stating, "under California law, where we live and signed our deal, one cannot be bound to a contract for more than seven years." 30 Seconds to Mars had been contracted for nine years, so the band decided to exercise their "legal right to terminate our old, out-of-date contract, which, according to the law is null and void."

After nearly a year of the lawsuit battle, the band announced on April 28, 2009, that the case had been settled. The suit was resolved following a defence based on a contract case involving actress Olivia de Havilland decades before. Leto explained, "The California Appeals Court ruled that no service contract in California is valid after seven years, and it became known as the De Havilland Law after she used it to get out of her contract with Warner Bros." 30 Seconds to Mars then decided to re-sign with EMI (the parent label of Virgin). Leto said the band had "resolved our differences with EMI" and the decision had been made because of "the willingness and enthusiasm by EMI to address our major concerns and issues, (and) the opportunity to return to work with a team so committed and passionate about 30 Seconds to Mars".

2009–present: ''This Is War'' and critical acclaim

Leto described the band's third album, ''This Is War'', as a concept album, saying it was created in an "intense two-year period, where it felt like the whole world was falling apart and massive changes were going on." In a bid to involve their fans for ''This Is War'', 30 Seconds to Mars held The Summit where they invited fans to provide backing vocals and percussion. At the first, in Los Angeles, people showed up from all over the world, so they repeated The Summit in eight countries and extended the event digitally. The band also invited fans to submit close-up shots of their faces in order to make 2,000 different individual covers for the album.

''This Is War'' was released in December 2009, produced by Flood, Steve Lillywhite and 30 Seconds to Mars. The album peaked at number one on the Tastemaker Albums, number two on the Alternative Albums and Digital Albums, number four on the Rock Albums, and number 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Its first two singles, "Kings and Queens" and "This Is War", peaked at number one on the Alternative Songs and reached number four on the Rock Songs. The short film for "Kings and Queens", called "The Ride," was directed by Leto and premiered at The Montalban Theater in Los Angeles on November 9, 2009. The music video features a Critical Mass Crank Mob movement and celebrates the community of riders on a night time journey from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica Pier, a fitting love letter to the city of Los Angeles. "It's a lyrical and slightly metaphorical surreal journey through the city of Angels, from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica Pier," Leto said. The video received four nominations at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in the categories of Best Art Direction, Best Direction, Best Rock Video, and Video of the Year, winning the Best Rock Video Award. The band shot the music video for "This Is War" with director Edouard Salier in 2010, but was released a year later, in April 2011. Leto told MTV News, "'This Is War' is the first video that I let someone else direct, and let's just say we won't be doing that again anytime soon."

The third single, "Closer to the Edge", reached number seven on the Alternative Songs, becoming the band's fifth Modern Rock top 10 hit. It holds the record for most weeks spent at the number one during 2010 on the UK Rock Chart when it remained at the top for eight consecutive weeks. The song's music video was directed by Leto and premiered on June 7, 2010, in New Zealand. The short film is a collage of tour footage, fan commentary and pictures of the band from their youth. It was shot in 89 cities in 27 different countries during the band's ''Into the Wild Tour''. The music video was received with highly positive reviews by critics and garnered awards and nominations from ''Rock Sound'', Fuse, and MTV.

}} In 2009, Kanye West announced that he and Leto recorded together a song named "Hurricane". However, West's vocal contribution to the song was ultimately removed because of legal issues surrounding the rights of each record company. The collaboration was later released on the deluxe edition of ''This Is War'' and became the album's fourth single in some territories. The music video for the single was directed by Leto and premiered on MTV on November 29, 2010. "Hurricane" is a psychologically thrilling meditation on sexually deviancy, and as Leto himself put it, "a meditation on the violence of sex, and the sex of violence." He described the concept saying, "It's a surrealistic nightmare dream-fantasy through the desolate empty streets of New York City at night. There's no people, there's no cars and you see the band as we encounter some fears and some fetishes, a series of challenges. It's a really ambitious, really cinematic short film." "Hurricane" was controversially received and was censored because of its elements of violence, nudity and sex. The short film was later released with a clean version that can air on television. Despite its censorship, "Hurricane" was praised by critics and was nominated for several awards, including the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction. It was named the Most Epically Unforgettable Video of 2010 by MTV and won the O Music Award for Best NSFW Music Video.

Other projects

Television work

In 1998, Leto appeared and provided additional photography for "Alaska's Bush Pilots," an hour long episode of ''Wild Life Adventures'', a series hosted predominately by celebrity personalities. He also guest hosted "Posehn, Papa and Mars", an episode from the second series of ''Player$''. Leto is also featured in ''Hollywood High'', a documentary television film about the depiction of drug addiction in film. In 2006, he narrated the Andrew Goldberg's documentary ''The Armenian Genocide''. Leto hosted the 2008 MTV Asia Awards on August 2, 2008, at the Arena of Stars in Genting, Malaysia.

Leto has appeared in several television commercials: one for the U.S. market, a Levi's Jeans commercial that aired in 1993. Other commercial appearances came in television spots for Hugo Boss in 2011. Leto, who is the face of the campaign for the HUGO Just Different fragrance, was directed by Jonas Åkerlund.

Philanthropy

Leto attended the Amnesty International campaign to support human rights, marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As part of the campaign, he also made a short film. In October 2008, he attended the Carousel of Hope Gala to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. He supports the The Art of Elysium, which encourages working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions. He donated an item to watchmaker Nixon to be made into a watch, the sale of which benefitted the MusiCares MAP Fund—a pool of resources set aside to address addiction and recovery needs of members of the music community.

In June 2008, Leto and his bandmates joined forces with Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity to work on a home being repaired and renovated through the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles Area's "A Brush With Kindness" programme. In advance of the build, the band organized an auction of "build slots" to give fans the opportunity to volunteer alongside them and their family and friends. In less than a week, six extra workers were enlisted and over $10,000 was raised to fund additional Habitat for Humanity projects. Leto also supported Habitat for Humanity Malaysia in Sentul in August 2008.

In April 2009, he attended An Evening of Women, an event that raises funds for legal, social, and cultural services of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. In October 2009, Leto raised money to the campaign against California Proposition 8, an initiative to overturn the state Supreme Court decision that had legalized same-sex marriage. Leto spoke out in support of LGBT rights group Freedom Action Inclusion Rights (FAIR). He took part in an online auction of celebrity-signed prints of Shepard Fairey's "Defend Equality Love Unites," a poster in support of gay marriage. Leto decided to make his poster different than the rest, by writing the words of the Proposition 8 ballot on it and then setting it on fire. He then placed the ashes in a jar, writing on it: "Here lies within, the remains of Proposition 8, may it rest in peace."

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Leto and his bandmates have employed eBay to raise $100,100 for Haitian relief. The charity auction included concert tickets, an exclusive backstage meet and greet, and dinner with the band. 30 Seconds to Mars has also supported the people of Haiti through the Echelon Project "House for Haiti" and the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief. Leto released a book of photographs taken during his trip to Haiti in 2011, in a bid to raise funds for the earthquake-ravaged country. He has connected with and helped various organizations since arriving in Haiti, including Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Leto spent a year in the Caribbean country during his childhood, and he returned there in January 2011 to "reconnect" with his former home following the devastating tremor of January 2010.

An auction of exclusive personal items and memorabilia donated by 30 Seconds to Mars raised funds to help the Red Cross support people affected by the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

In the media

Leto was twice named one of ''People'' magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1996 and 1997, and was listed among the "Teen Idols of the '90s". He appeared on ''People'''s "Hottest Bachelors" in 2006 and 2007, and "Best Chests" in 2009. Leto was nominated several times as one of the "Sexiest Vegetarians" by PETA. He won a Chainsaw Award for Price of Darkness in 2006. In 2011, he was nominated the NME Award for Hottest Man and TRL Award for Best Look.

Personal life

Relationships

Leto began dating Cameron Diaz in 1999 and the couple became engaged in 2000. In 2003, they ended their four-year relationship.

In July 2011, Leto began dating model and actress Katharina Damm. On July 18, he was spotted with Damm on the beach in Saint-Tropez.

Political convictions

Leto is vegan and a strict vegetarian. In 2008, he supported the Proposition 2 and attended the Yes! On Prop 2 benefit gala to stop animal cruelty held in Los Angeles, California. In July 2010, he supported WWF's Text For Tigers charity campaign to aid in saving wild tigers from extinction.

In October 2006, Leto and his bandmates began their ''Welcome to the Universe Tour'', which was "environmentally sound" according to an interview with then-bassist Matt Wachter. "Jared and Shannon put together this thing called Environmentour which is illustrating ways—alternatives—to kind of clean up some of the mess we leave behind. We fueled the bus with vegetable oil," he explained. In March 2011, Leto attended the Night of Generosity in Los Angeles, California. The event raised over $100,000 for Generosity Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the clean water crisis in developing countries.

The Leto-directed music video of "A Beautiful Lie" was the first one ever to be shot 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland. Determined to offset the impact that filming would have on the environment, Leto and the band worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council to develop strategies that would minimize fuel consumption on the shoot and purchased North American Blend Green Tags (a renewable energy certificate product) from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. 30 Seconds to Mars also launched abeautifullie.org, which includes information about current environmental issues, ways to participate in environmental activities and more. In addition, people can make donations through the site to support the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In the 2008 presidential election, Leto supported Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. At the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards, Leto and his bandmates wore Obama T-shirts, and he also asked the crowd to stand in honour of the Democratic senator.

Filmography

+ Actor
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1995	''How to Make an American Quilt''	Beck
1996	''''	Frankie Griffin	Also known as ''Summer Fling''
1997		Steve Prefontaine
1997		Lane Dixon
1998		Basil
1998		Paul Gardener
1998	''''	Second Lieutenant Whyte
1999		Casey
1999		Angel Face
1999		Tobias "Toby" Jacobs	Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
2000		Paul Allen	Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
2000	''Requiem for a Dream''	Harry Goldfarb
2000		Glen Walker
2001	''Sol Goode''	Rock Star Wannabe	Uncredited cameo
2002		Jack Hayes
2002	''Panic Room''	Junior
2002		Actor	Uncredited cameo
2004		Hephaestion
2005	''Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow''	Himself	Documentary film
2005	''Lord of War''	Vitaly Orlov	Nominated—National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
2006			Austin Film Festival
2007	''[[Chapter 27''	Mark David Chapman	[[Zurich Film Festival
2009		Nemo Nobody	Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival Award for Best PerformanceSitges Film Festival Award for Best ActorNominated—Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Award for Best ActorNominated—Stockholm Film Festival Award for Best ActorNominated—Venice Film Festival – Volpi Cup for Best Actor
2011	''TT3D: Closer to the Edge''	Narrator	Documentary film

+ Director
! Year	! Title	Notes
2006	""	Music videoFuse Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Video Inspired by FilmKerrang! Readers Choice Award for Best VideoMTV Australia Video Music Award for Best Rock VideoMTV Australia Video Music Award for Video of the YearMTV Video Music Award – MTV2 AwardNominated—MTV Australia Video Music Award – Viewer's ChoiceNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock VideoNominated—Virgin Media Music Award for Best Video
2006	"From Yesterday"	Music videoRock on Request Award for Best VideoYahoo! Australia Music Award for Greatest Epic Video of All TimeNominated—Kerrang! Readers Choice Award for Best VideoNominated—Rock Sound Readers Choice Award for Best Video
2008	""	Music videoMTV Asia Award for Favorite VideoMTV Europe Music Award for Best VideoMTV Gold Video Plays AwardRock on Request Award for Best VideoNominated—Kerrang! Award for Best VideoNominated—Rock Sound Readers Choice Award for Best VideoNominated—TMF Award for Best International Video
2009		Music videoMTV Gold Video Plays AwardMTV Video Music Award for Best Rock VideoRock on Request Award for Best VideoRock Sound Readers Choice Award for Best VideoNominated—Fuse Award for Best VideoNominated—Kerrang! Award for Best VideoNominated—MTV Europe Music Award for Best VideoNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Best DirectionNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
2010	"Closer to the Edge"	Music videoCMA Wild and Young Award for Best International VideoMTV Gold Video Plays AwardNominated—Rock Sound Readers Choice Award for Best Video
2010		Music videoMTV Buzzworthy Award for Most Epically Unforgettable Video of the YearMTV Fan Music Award for Best Group VideoO Music Award for NSFW Music VideoNominated—Kerrang! Award for Best VideoNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Best CinematographyNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Best DirectionNominated—MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing
2011	''Artifact''	Post-production

+ Producer
! Year	! Title	Notes
2001	''Sol Goode''	Co-producer
2007	''Chapter 27''	Executive producer
2011	''Artifact''	Post-production

+ Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1992–1993	''Camp Wilder''	Dexter	2 episodes
1993		Rick Aiken	Episode: "The Fox and the Hound"
1994–1995	''My So-Called Life''	Jordan Catalano
1994	''Cool and the Crazy''	Michael	TV film
1998		Himself	Episode: "Alaska's Bush Pilots"
2003		Himself	Episode: "Posehn, Papa and Mars"
2003		Himself	Documentary film
2006	''''	Narrator	Documentary film

Discography

;30 Seconds to Mars studio albums

''30 Seconds to Mars'' (2002)

''A Beautiful Lie'' (2005)

''This Is War'' (2009)

References

External links

Category:1971 births Category:30 Seconds to Mars members Category:Actors from Louisiana Category:American activists Category:American environmentalists Category:American film actors Category:American film directors Category:American film producers Category:American humanitarians Category:American male singers Category:American multi-instrumentalists Category:American music video directors Category:American photographers Category:American record producers Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock singer-songwriters Category:American television actors Category:American vegans Category:American vegetarians Category:American voice actors Category:English-language singers Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Louisiana Category:People from Bossier City, Louisiana Category:School of Visual Arts alumni Category:University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni

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