Jared Leto has taken method acting to a new extreme.

It has been revealed that the 43-year-old actor - who plays The Joker in upcoming Suicide Squad - sent his castmates some very creepy gifts as a gesture when he couldn't be there for the start of filming.

Adam Beach, who plays Slipknot in the highly anticipated action flick, told E! News 'He sent [Margot Robbie] a nice love letter with a black box with a rat in it - a live rat,'

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Taking his role seriously: Jared Leto channeled his Joker character by giving his co-stars a variety of creepy gifts as they prepared to film Suicide Squad

Margot, 24, plays Jared's onscreen girlfriend Harley Quinn in the movie about a team of comic book bad guys who are assembled by the government to undergo extremely dangerous missions in return for reduced prison sentences.

Adam explained during the premiere of Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser on Wednesday: 'It was beautiful. Then he sent bullets to Will [Smith] with a letter.'

But that's not all, the Oscar-winning actor also sent the cast a dead hog along with a video message.

Impressed: Jared's co-star Adam Beach revealed the bizarre gifts during an interview with E! News on Wednesday during the premiere of Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser

In character: The 43-year-old actor sent his onscreen girlfriend Margot Robbie, pictured in May, a love letter and a live rat as well and sent bullets to co-star Will Smith

The cast apparently received a dead hog and a video of Jared in character apologising for not being there at the start of filming. Pictured is the movie's stars Joel Kinnaman, Corina Calderon, Jai Courtney and Karen Fukuhara as well as Will Smith (standing) on June 8

Adam revealed: 'Basically, what he said was, "Guys, I can't be there but I want you to know I'm doing my work as hard as you guys,"

'The video he showed is in character. It blew our minds away. Then we realized that day, this is real.'

Jared cut quite a menacing figure when he was photographed on set in Toronto, Canada earlier this month.

The Dallas Buyers Club star displayed silvery teeth, red lips and no eyebrows as well as a shock of green hair - uniquely different from Joker predecessors before him such as Jack Nicholson, Mark Hamill and the late Heath Ledger.

In action: Smith plays ruthless assassin Deadshot in the Warner Bros. film. He is seen on set in Toronto, Canada on June 6

Smith meanwhile plays ruthless assassin Deadshot; Joel Kinnaman stars as mercenary Rick Flagg; Viola Davis as military genius Amanda Waller; and Cara Delevingne portrays the role of Enchantress.

Ben Affleck takes on the role of the caped crusader.

Fellow baddies Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc, King Shark and Plastique all join the roster.

The film is set for release August 5 2016.