Famous actor and musician Jared Leto scaled the Empire State Building on Thursday, accomplishing a remarkable feat and promoting his upcoming tour.
Leto’s ascent of the iconic skyscraper was captured on video, with the “Today” Show broadcasting the event and interviewing the star afterwards.
Jared Leto climbs the Empire State Building
“I made it, I’m alive,” Leto told Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly, Craig Melvin, and Sheinelle Jones. He proudly exhibited his torn-up hands, a testament to the challenge of reaching the top.
Building officials confirmed that Leto is the first individual to legally climb the renowned New York City landmark, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
During his climb, Leto took a brief moment to greet his mother on the 80th floor, demonstrating his determination to conquer the daunting task.
Reflecting on his experience, Leto shared his excitement about achieving this feat. “It’s incredible, I mean to watch the sun rise overlooking the city, that meant so much to me,” he remarked. “Ever since I was a kid, New York stood for the place that you went to make your dreams come true.”
Jared Leto’s climb was physically demanding
The physical toll of the climb was evident in Leto’s bloodied and torn hands, a vivid testament to the challenge he undertook.
Describing the endurance and stamina required, Leto admitted that it was even more difficult than he had imagined. “It was very challenging, as you can see … I have to be honest it was very, very hard, it was a lot harder than I though it would be.”
Leto’s passion for climbing and his fascination with the Empire State Building are well-known. With 30 Seconds to Mars embarking on a world tour, Leto saw this monumental climb as a perfect opportunity to promote his band’s return to the stage.
When asked about his next climbing endeavor by the hosts, Leto jokingly replied, “into bed.”
Leto’s achievement at the Empire State Building adds to his impressive list of dangerous climbs, cementing it as his most significant climbing accomplishment to date.
Jared Leto has climbed more than one building
The actor took up climbing while filming the six-part docuseries Great Wide Open in 2015, and has regularly posted about his climbing exploits for years on social media.
In September, he baffled onlookers in Berlin, Germany, when he was captured on video scaling the brick exterior of a hotel without the use of a harness or ropes, while paparazzi and crowds watched on.
Clearly he was training for his latest feat, which despite becoming the first person to legally climb the Empire State Building, he wasn’t actually the first to scale it.
“French Spiderman” Alain Robert earned that title in 1994, when he ascended the 1,454 ft to the pinnacle of the building with no equipment and quite illegally.
