Jared Leto explains what it was like to meet Adam Neumann and why he never invested in WeWork
Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto stars in a new series on Apple TV+. Based on the true story of Israeli entrepreneur Adam Neumann, We crashed is the story of WeWork, a $47 billion workplace-sharing company that went down, forcing him to step down as CEO in the process.
Fans probably aren’t surprised that the 30 Seconds to Mars lead singer can easily conjure up the rock star aura required to play the electrifying influencer Neumann. However, they might be surprised to learn that Leto is well versed in the world of startups and investments.
So, has Leto met the man he played on the show? Has he ever invested in WeWork? We have the details.
The WeWork story behind Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed”
In an interview with vanity loungethe Dallas Buyers Club The actor explained that he finds WeWork’s history fascinating. Leto said We crashed was a sort of “quintessential immigrant story” about a man who moves to the United States, builds a $47 billion company from scratch, and becomes a global brand.
Neumann and his American partner Miguel McKelvey co-founded WeWork in 2010. The 2008 credit crisis caused a number of high-profile office spaces to become vacant. So freelancers and startup founders have found new ways to move forward in an unstable economy. WeWork offered the option of renting an office for short or extended periods as well as the opportunity to network with other like-minded people.
There were 51 WeWork locations in the US, Europe and Israel in 2014, reports Harper’s Bazaar. The innovative company announced plans to expand to every continent except Antarctica by 2017. In 2016, WeWork was worth $10 billion and was referred to as a “unicorn” by financial markets because it represented a rare investment opportunity. By the end of the same year, he had raised more than $1.7 billion in private capital.
In truth, WeWork was a movement as much as a company. While the company advocated for global change, it also reportedly encouraged the use of alcohol and drugs. Its culture was to reward hard work by taxing tough parties.
Under the promise of the next big tech company, WeWork was just an old-fashioned real estate company that couldn’t manage resources like the big tech companies they wanted to emulate. In 2019, WeWork’s main investor SoftBank asked Neumann to step down as CEO.
Jared Leto plays WeWork CEO Adam Neumann
Leto credits his touring experience with his band to his understanding of how to communicate with large masses of people from a stage. the Requiem for a Dream The actor described Neumann as a great communicator and a bit of a rockstar.
True to his own brand of method, Leto listened to hours of podcasts and read as much Neumann and WeWork material as possible. He watched every interview, including the raw footage, so he could study Neumann’s behaviors and nuances. The actor tried to talk to anyone who knew Neumann.
Leto admired the former CEO for believing in his mission and that anything was possible. The devoted actor met Neumann and his family at his home and says he was grateful for the experience. Leto described himself as being in awe of Neumann and his wife Rebekah and their deep love for each other.
Jared Leto is a savvy investor in Silicon Valley startups
As if being an award-winning actor and singer wasn’t enough, Leto is also a savvy Silicon Valley investor. The 50-year-old was an early investor in Airbnb, Slack, Spotify and Uber. In his quest for new acquisitions, he often calls himself tech startups.
Leto told Vanity Fair that he had heard of WeWork at the time and was impressed with the progress the company had made. However, he admits he has never met anyone from the company and has not invested or attempted to.
Leto said he knew people who did, and he knew Neumann personally. This understanding also helped shape his performance as Adam Neumann. You can find We crashedwith Anne Hathaway, on Apple TV+.
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