Musician and actor Jared Leto says that he forewarned entertainment website TMZ not to publish his video where he spoke negatively of singer Taylor Swift. However, despite the warning, TMZ still went ahead, making Leto file a lawsuit against the website.
Sisyphus Touring, Leto's company, filed a complaint on Wednesday with the California Federal Court, reports Entertainment Weekly. In his lawsuit, Leto, the frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars, insists that the video, posted on Monday by TMZ, is "working material that is confidential, private and was not intended for public exhibition."
The video was shot at Leto's home studio where he is listening to the "1989" album of Swift. He comments that he did not like "Blank Space," one of the tracks in the album and adds, "I mean, f*** her, I don't give a f*** about her." However, Leto eventually apologized to Swift in a tweet.
In his apology, Leto wrote, "The truth is I think [Taylor Swift] is amazing + an incredible example of what's possible." He added, "If I hurt her or her fans my sincerest apologies," quotes EW.
A former videographer of Leto sold the footage to TMZ for $2,000. The videographer declined to sign a document for the entertainment website that he owns the legal right to the video and later tried to convince TMZ not to publish it. Leto says he warned TMZ before it published the clip that it was stolen.
Howard King, Leto's lawyer, had sued TMZ in the past for publishing in 2010 a leaked and confidential footage of Debbie Rowe, ex-wife of Michael Jackson. TMZ settled the lawsuit in 2011.