Jared Leto could have been a drug dealer

Jared Leto almost ended up becoming a drug dealer.

The actor and 30 Seconds To Mars singer admits he took illegal substances when he was a teenager and if it wasn’t for discovering his artistic skills he could have been sucked into a life of crime.

The star told The Big Issue magazine: "I was at a crossroads in life when I was 16. I didn’t know I was going to be an actor. I thought I might be an artist or a painter. Or maybe a drug dealer.

"I didn’t know which path I would take. It’s just fortunate that I chose one over the other."

Jared has previously talked about his wild past and how he and his brother Shannon – also a member of his band – used to steal to get thrills.

He said: "We broke into offices, warehouses, schools – you name it, we did it. And in the process we became a right pair of little thieves: bottles of liquor one day, a scooter or a nice-looking motorbike the next.

"It was what we did. Some kids went and did summer camps, we went and stole your car. At the time, I don’t think we thought there was much wrong with what we were doing, unless of course we got caught – that was the wrong part."