'Suicide Squad': Jared Leto Putting Serious Effort Into Joker Role: Jai Courtney

Jared Leto is reportedly working extremely hard to do justice to his role of the Joker in director David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.” Jai Courtney, who plays Captain Boomerang in the film, recently told MTV that the Oscar winner is taking his character very seriously.

“I don’t think any of us are naïve to the pressure he’s under. It’s not something I’ve talked about with him, but I’ve seen him working and it’s cool, man,” Courtney said, adding that Leto is “sort of” following method acting. “I don’t know how you measure that these days. I haven’t seen him, since we started working, out of character, let’s put it that way,” he said.

Leto is the first actor to take on the iconic role of the Joker since the late actor Heath Ledger played it in 2008's "The Dark Knight.” (Ledger, who died in 2008, won a posthumous Academy Award for the role.)

Leto will reportedly sport an array of tattoos on his body and a peculiar "Damaged" tattoo on his forehead. He will sport neon green hair, white face, tainted teeth and red lips. In leaked photos from the set, he has been mostly spotted wearing formal clothes, including a fitted coat, shirt and trousers. Leto has also reportedly gained weight for the character, which he told Billboard he regarded as nearly a Shakesperean role.

“The opportunity to take on this nearly Shakespearean character -- that’s what graphic novels and comic books are becoming, right? [He’s] this beautiful disaster of a character -- what a big challenge,” he said.

In the comics, the Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind who is gifted with a sadistic sense of humor. He is Batman nemesis and an expert chemist who uses toxins against his enemies.

“Suicide Squad” is being shot in Toronto. Courtney revealed that the shooting schedule has been grueling and will continue until August. Ayer has also written the film based on the comic book “Suicide Squad” by John Ostrander. Other cast members include Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne and Viola Davis.

The film is scheduled to open Aug. 5, 2016.