Jared Leto says starring in House of Gucci had him "snorting lines of arrabbiata sauce"

Jared Leto has spoken about his approach to his role in House of Gucci – and his "love letter to Italy." 

"I was snorting lines of arrabbiata sauce by the middle of this movie," he said in a recent interview with i-D. "I had olive oil for blood. This was a deep dive I did. If you took a biopsy of my skin, it would come back as parmesan cheese! This is my love letter to Italy."

Leto plays Paolo Gucci in the movie, the cousin of Adam Driver's Maurizio. At one point, he was the chief designer and vice president of the Gucci fashion house and he's credited with helping to design the brand's famous double G logo. As well as Driver, Leto stars alongside Lady Gaga as Maurizio's ex-wife Patrizia, who is ultimately tried and convicted of orchestrating his murder, Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons. 

Leto added: "Bringing Paolo to life was like birthing a bowling ball out of my sphincter. I keep saying my butt was shaking like two little chicken bones on that set. It was a very physical performance. There's something about corduroy, I think: when you put it on, it's like you can catch fire."

Did he go completely method like Gaga, who spoke in Patrizia's accent for a total of eighteen months?

"Yes, I had an Italian accent and I enjoyed and embraced that, and lived in that space as much as I could and for as long as I possibly could. I climbed into that creative cave and came out through the bowels and intestines into the oesophagus of the one and only Paolo Gucci."

House of Gucci is out in theaters now – check out our list of all the exciting upcoming movies if you need more viewing inspiration.