If there is a mould for the traditional rock star, Jared Leto certainly fits it. The frontman of the popular band Thirty Seconds to Mars, who were announced today as performing in Athens on 11 May 2027, brings together all the characteristics of an artist associated with the classic sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll formula.

The band will perform at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA).

A talented singer-songwriter who has led an influential rock band for almost 25 years, an explosive stage performer whose behaviour has occasionally courted controversy, and an actor who immerses himself in his roles through his own experiential approach, the 54-year-old star continues to enjoy success while dividing opinion.

With his expressive blue eyes and a stage and screen presence that has earned him the adoration of legions of young female fans, Leto remains a compelling, if controversial, figure.

The rock band

Thirty Seconds to Mars, which Leto formed in California in 1998 with his brother Shannon Leto, have left a significant mark on the global alternative rock scene.

Their best-known songs include A Beautiful Lie, with its powerful message about climate change and pioneering music video filmed in Greenland, as well as This Is War, The Kill (Bury Me), Closer to the Edge, Do or Die and Kings and Queens, among others.

The band have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, received numerous music awards and performed at some of the world’s biggest music festivals over the past two and a half decades. They have also secured a Guinness World Record for the longest concert tour in history.

Thirty Seconds to Mars are returning to Athens as part of their new A Beautiful Lie vs. This Is War tour, a tribute to their two successful albums of the same names.

The band have performed in the Greek capital before, appearing at Water Plaza in 2011 and Malakasa in 2015.

Their upcoming concert will also feature Tomo Miličević, the guitarist from the band’s early years who has become closely associated with its identity.

His mark on cinema

Like many rock stars, Leto has also made his mark on the big screen. His film career has been both creative and remarkably prolific, thanks to his distinctive ability to transform himself for a role.

That talent earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his widely acclaimed performance in the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club.

He played a transgender woman living with HIV who helps the film’s protagonist, who is also HIV-positive, establish a club to supply patients with medicines that have not yet been officially approved but represent their only hope.

Leto also appeared in Darren Aronofsky’s highly regarded Requiem for a Dream (2000), which vividly depicts the devastating effects of drug addiction. To prepare for his role, he spent an extended period socialising with people struggling with drug addiction.

His other film credits include the horror film Urban Legend (1998), David Fincher’s Fight Club (1999) and Panic Room (2002), American Psycho (2000), Highway (2002), Lord of War (2005), Lonely Hearts (2006), Chapter 27 (2007) and Mr. Nobody (2009).

Early in his career, he also appeared on television in the 1995 teen drama My So-Called Life.

Allegations of sexual assault

Behind the seemingly angelic image of the successful rock star and actor, however, some young women have publicly described a different and disturbing side to Leto, alleging that he sexually assaulted or harassed them years ago, when they were younger and the #MeToo movement had not yet emerged.

Leto’s name first became embroiled in the controversy in 2025, when several women accused him of past sexual misconduct, claiming they had been young girls at the time, some of them minors.

The allegations returned to the spotlight in July 2026, following an investigation and the emergence of testimonies featured in the BBC documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret.

Ten female fans, some of whom were 16 or 17 at the time of the alleged incidents, said they had been systematically approached after his concerts and sexually assaulted in motels. Others accused him of sexual harassment over the telephone.

Although Leto has never concealed his preference for being surrounded by young, attractive women, he has denied the allegations.

“I have never sexually abused anyone in my entire life. These allegations are absolutely and categorically false,” he said.

Ticket sales

Advance ticket sales for the Thirty Seconds to Mars concert in Athens will begin on Thursday, 29 October, at 10am.