He may be the lead singer for Thirty Seconds To Mars, but Jared Leto is having a great time here on earth.

The 41-year-old actor and musician is garnering major Oscar buzz for his role as a HIV-positive transsexual in the film Dallas Buyers Club. In an introspective cover story for the January 2014 issue of NYLON Guys, the man who won the hearts of millions of girls the moment his piercing blue eyes first saw the screen as Jordan Catalano in My So Called Life talks about dealing with fame and the “disgust” that comes with his job.

“I got the script for Dallas Buyers Club sent to me three times, and i just ignored it,” he explained of the controversial film. “I hadn’t read a script years. I had no plans to ever make a film again. But I fell in love. I never thought in a million years I would be mentioned with either ‘buzz’ or ‘Oscar.’ It’s completely mind-blowing. You don’t do it for that, but buzz is an indication that something worked. Like, maybe this one won’t be a heartbreak. I’m actually a very private person. If you read between the lines, you’re only going to find more lines. I’m not a reality star. I went to art school. I thought I would be an artist. That’s all I really wanted to share with people. I still feel the same way.”

The self-professed private actor was forced out of his comfort zone while preparing for his role as a transsexual in Dallas Buyers Club. “There was a time when I walked through the Whole Foods, and I remember getting three distinct looks: The first was ‘Who is that?’ The second was ‘What is that?’ And the third was ‘I don’t know what the f–k that is and I don’t like that. That’s disgusting.’ And it was great to get all of those things. Especially the third one—to feel the condemnation and the judgment. That was important.”

Check out the trailer for Dallas Buyers Club, also starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner, below and Jared’s NYLON Guys spread above. Do you think Jordan Catalano could take home the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actor” in 2014?