All Hail Jared Leto's Mom: 8 Facts About the Gorgeous Constance Leto

Elise Solé

Although Jared Leto won an Academy Award on Sunday for "Best Supporting Actor" in the film Dallas Buyer's Club, the real star of the Oscars was Constance "Connie" Leto, Jared's mother.In his now famous acceptance speech, the actor paid homage to his mom, 58, putting her squarely on our radar. Here are 8 things we've learned about Connie in the past 24 hours.

She struggled to make life better for her two kids: In Jared Leto’s Oscar acceptance speech, he expressed gratitude for his mother who helped paved the way for his success. “In 1971, Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she managed to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she’s here tonight. And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream."

She encouraged creativity in her family: "I was raised around a lot of artists, musicians, photographers, painters and people that were in theater," said Jared Leto, in an interview on Focus Features. "Just having the art communal hippie experience as a child, there wasn't a clear line that was drawn. We celebrated creative experience and creative expression. We didn't try and curtail it and stunt any of that kind of growth.”

She was a resourceful mom: “When we were young, we were very poor," said Jared's brother, Shannon Leto, in an interview with French magazine, Batterie Plus, in September 2011. "Our mum was a hippie and we lived in a truck. We had no toys or TV. However, we had bongos and a guitar. What happens to us means a lot for our mum. She’s happy.”

She has exotic roots:Constance is of English, Cajun (French), and Spanish ancestry. Although her maiden name is Metrejon, she changed Jared and Shannon's last name to "Leto," to that of their adoptive father, Carl Leto.

She has a Tumblr fan page: All of Constance's adorable mother and son moments are featured on this tribute Tumblr.

She made an awesome face when she found out she was going to the Oscars: When Jared and Shannon Leto called their mom via video chat and invited her to the Oscars, Constance's facial expression was priceless. "My mothers face when @shannonleto and I told her she was coming to the #Oscars with us! :)," wrote Jared in the caption.

She's a silver fox: Unlike other Hollywood moms who primp for the spotlight, Constance doesn't stress over her silver-gray streaks. In fact, it's become her proud signature look.

She's no stranger to the red carpet: As humbled as Constance appeared to be a guest at the Oscars, it's not the first time she's been Leto's date to an awards show. In January, Constance accompanied her son to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. While accepting his award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, Jared said of his mom: "Last but not least, [thank you] to my mother, the hottest date in town." Very cool.