Jared Leto's controversial comments stir backlash in Belgrade
Jared Leto is well-known to both music and film fans. However, the Oscar winner hasn't had a good streak lately. Two Golden Razzies for Worst Actor ("House of Gucci," "Morbius") might still be forgivable. It's harder, though, to accept his words during a 30 Seconds to Mars concert in Serbia.
1:04 PM EDT, October 15, 2024
The "Seasons 2024 Global Tour" was announced to the world by the vocalist, guitarist, and leader of 30 Seconds to Mars in a spectacular way. He decided to climb the Empire State Building. This climb was meant to symbolize that anything is possible if we just try. "The building is a testament to all the things that can be done in the world if we put our minds to it, which is largely an inspiration for our latest album," Jared Leto explained.
The "Seasons 2024 Global Tour" is the band's first tour in over five years. The American band is visiting Europe, Latin America, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. In May, they performed for the audience in Krakow at their only concert in Poland. Last Friday, 30 Seconds to Mars performed in Belgrade.
It's known that many Russians could have attended the concert in the capital of Serbia, which was noticed by the band's leader. At one point, Jared Leto addressed the audience with the question: "Are there Russians among us? Because I felt a lot of Russian energy." When the audience confirmed his suspicions, the vocalist added: "I'll tell you, one day, when all these problems are over, we will visit you in your homeland."
Leto also declared that he would return to Serbia and visit St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kyiv, where "he would have a good time and spend time with everyone." This was certainly not a fortunate statement for the star, and for many, it was even embarrassing because the singer dismissively referred to the war in Ukraine as a "problem."
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs even reacted to the star's words. "‘Feeling Russian energy’ and wanting to perform in Russia is an insult to those who give their lives defending freedom. There can be no concessions to Russia when it tries to solve the 'problem' of Ukraine's existence," reads the statement.
