DALLAS, TX (TIP): Jared Leto gave everyone a welcomed break from acting for the last six years to focus on his hysterically hilarious music group, 30 Seconds to Mars, but decided to return to play the Oscar nominated role of Rayon in Jean-Marc Vallée’s Dallas Buyers Club.

Leto, who was looking to broaden his range by playing yet another drug addict, admitted in an interview that he would have been scared to live as Rayon did in the homophobic Texas of the 1980s. Jared Leto until late hadn’t really been known for doing anything well other than looking pretty. So it was surprising to see a powerhouse performance by Leto in her return to celluloid Dallas Buyers Club.

The singer, who was once described by Jimmy Kimmel as the worst celebrity he ever interviewed, said that not only was he drawn to the role because it was so well written, but the character was far braver than he ever would be (via Contact Music): “I read the script and immediately I was just blown away.

I fell in love with the character and I felt that this was a real opportunity here to portray a real person, not a cliché or a stereotype.” Jared went on to explain that he could imagine herself having the courage to live, in a place that he feels was so close minded it was barely fit for habitation.”

It’s Texas, it’s 1985, you’ve got this cowboy and this young man who’s chosen to live as a woman. A really brave choice; I couldn’t imagine how terrifying it must’ve been to walk through a grocery store at that time.” Regardless of his hateful views towards Texas, Leto still had enough sense to thank his mother, Constance, for her support at the 86th Oscar Nominees Luncheon earlier this week. Not only has she inspired him, but she is a joy to be around, unlike the residents of Texas in the eighties.”

We were born very poor and into pretty humble surroundings. My mother always wanted to do something better with her life [and] for her children. She taught me to dream and then to do the work that it takes to make dreams become reality. It’s been fun to bring her around.”