We saw that Jared Leto lost a lot of weight to play a flamboyant cross-dresser with HIV in The Dallas Buyers Club in these set photos.  But there he was covered by a bulky fur coat.  To show off his dramatic transformation, Leto recruited photographer Terry Richardson for a shirtless shoot, and oh my goodness!  Leto has become the kind of skinny that is hard to look at.  I admire his commitment to the role, but I can’t imagine a scenario in which the verisimilitude is worth the health issues.

Matthew McConaughey has also drawn attention for his weight loss to play the lead role in Dallas Buyers Club, based on the true story of Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey).  Woodroof was given six months to live after a 1986 AIDS diagnosis, but instead survived six years on the medication he smuggled into the U.S. that he shared with other patients.  Jennifer Garner co-stars in the Jean-Marc Vallée-directed drama.  Check out the Leto photos after the jump.

Some images from the set of a couple of upcoming films have surfaced online.  First up, though we just saw the first trailer for the film last week, Brad Pitt is back on set doing reshoots for director Marc Forster’s zombie apocalypse pic World War Z.  We know that the third act was reworked by Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard, so presumably these images are from the film’s finale – which explains why Pitt is so bloody.  World War Z opens on June 21, 2013.

Additionally, following a five-year break from acting Jared Leto is back in a big way on the set of the AIDS drama The Dallas Buyers Club.  Based on a true story, Matthew McConaughey plays a Texas electrician who, after being diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, began to smuggle alternative and illegal treatments into the US and into the hands of other patients.  We previously heard that Leto would be playing a flamboyant cross-dresser with HIV who helps McConaughey’s character, and these set photos prove that the actor isn’t doing this thing half-heartedly.  Hit the jump for the images from both films.

Jared Leto is making a return to acting.  After taking a five-year break from films to focus on his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, Leto is now set to join Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner in the AIDS drama The Dallas Buyers Club.  Directed by Jean Marc Vallee (The Young Victoria), the film is based on the true story of Ron Woodroof, a Texas electrician who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986.  Given only a few months to live, Woodroof began to smuggle alternative and illegal treatments into the US and into the hands of other AIDS patients.  The pic has been a passion project for McConaughey, who recently lost an alarming amount of weight in order to portray Woodroof onscreen.

Per THR, Leto will play “a flamboyant cross-dresser with HIV who helps Woodruff.”  Gael Garcia Bernal previously circled the role but never closed a deal.  Filming begins next week in New Orleans.

The Toronto Film Festival starts in a few weeks and like every year, the Festival is loaded with plenty of world premieres. While I had planned on attending this year’s Festival as a member of the working press, due to my deciding to attend too late, I missed the cut for getting a press badge. However, I’m still going, and hope to be able to report on the films and interview a lot of the people attending.

Anyway, to help excite you for what’s coming, I’ve landed some new images from director Jaco Van Dormael’s “Mr. Nobody” (starring Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger and Linh-Dan Pham) and director Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon”. Take a look after the jump:

Back in December of 2007, I spoke with Diane Kruger while she was promoting “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”. At the time, she had just finished filming “Mr. Nobody” with Jared Leto and she seemed really excited when she told me what it was about and how “Mr. Nobody” was a pretty expensive project for being produced in Europe.

According to Diane, “It is the most interesting script ever. I don’t know if you are familiar with the director Jaco van Dormael, he did “Toto the Hero” and “The Eighth Day.” He is a total visionary. Jared Leto plays Nemo Nobody. And you see him from being born until he is 120 and the last mortal man to die of a natural cause of death. You see him on his death bed, basically, in the future. And he remembers his life and the things he could have done, or should have done or did not do. Myself and Sarah Polley and a Vietnamese actress play three girls he grew up. I am being Anna who was his big first love. And I moved away with my parents to America. And we lose touch. And he is always looking for Anna. And he has that memory of her. Sarah Polley is the girl he ends up marrying but she is really unhappy in the wedding. So the movie talks about how no life is insignificant. And whatever decision you will make you will encounter love, hate. It is just the most beautiful, poetic script. And Jared is quiet something. He plays himself as 120. He has six and a half hours of makeup every day.”

Unfortunately, since that interview, I hadn’t heard anything about the film, and I’d sort of forgotten about it till today. That’s because the first trailer has just been released  and it’s after the jump – along with more info on the film.