Jared Leto is treating his role as The Joker as no laughing matter, as one of his "Suicide Squad" costars revealed that the Oscar winner has taken a very method -- and frankly, very creepy -- approach to the character.



Adam Beach, who plays Slipknot in "Squad," chatted with E! News about some of Leto's odd behavior while filming the flick, and said that when Leto initially couldn't be with the rest of the cast when production commenced, the actor made his presence known.



"He sent a nice love letter with a black box with a rat in it—a live rat," Beach told E!. " ... Then he sent bullets to Will with a letter."



In addition to those odd tokens, according to Beach, Leto also sent his castmates a dead hog (?!?), as well as an in-character video message wishing them well.



"It blew our minds away," Beach said of Leto-as-The Joker. "Then we realized that day, this is real."



Beach added that Leto kept up the ruse in person, too, and said that the actor seemed like a perfect -- if unsettling -- fit for the part.



"He encompasses this beautiful man and he shows it in, 'Hello, how are you?,' but in an instant, he goes to psychotic behavior where you're in fear," Beach told E!. "But you love him because he has both of those genuine sides."



Sounds spooky -- and just what this character calls for. We can't wait to see Leto's performance for ourselves.



"Suicide Squad" is due in theaters on August 5, 2016.