Posted in: Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: dc studios, joker, Joker: Folie à Deux, lady gaga

Lady Gaga on Pouring Herself Into Her Role in Joker Folie a Deux

Lady Gaga opens up about Joker Folie à Deux backlash, artistic rebellion, and how the intense reactions really felt.

For years, the sequel to Joker was framed as one of the big comic book events on the calendar. The first film even earned more than $1 billion worldwide and picked up a stack of Oscar nominations, so expectations for the follow-up were pretty huge. Instead, Joker: Folie à Deux landed with far less-than-thrilling numbers, earning about $207 million on a reported budget of $190 to $200 million, with most labeling its run as a box office bomb.

Unfortunately, the audience reaction was just as rocky. The musical legal drama currently sits around a 31% approval rating with critics and a 31% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a rare 'D' grade from audiences via CinemaScore. Still, it's not all bad, as reviews have ranged from praise for its audacity and craft to frustration with its story, tone, and treatment of Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn, leaving both critics and general moviegoers sharply divided about its overall execution.

Now, Lady Gaga, who joins the sequel as a reimagined Harley named Lee Quinzel, recently spoke to Rolling Stone about what it was like to pour everything into the film and watch that backlash unfold.

Lady Gaga Was Feeling Artistically Rebellious When She Signed on to Joker: Folie à Deux

In the interview, she acknowledged that there was a ton of negativity around Joker and said she had been feeling "artistically rebellious" when she first signed on to the project. She also revealed that, at first, the intensity of the reactions made her laugh, since it was "just getting so unhinged," but the noise eventually started to sting. She then admitted she was not entirely unfazed by the backlash and said it became more painful as the discourse dragged on, especially because she had put so much of herself into the role (and we all know how reactive the internet can be).

In Joker: Folie à Deux, the story picks up with Arthur Fleck locked in Arkham and awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. Struggling with his sense of self, he finds both a warped kind of love and an outlet through music, with the film built around a mix of jukebox numbers and original material that blur the line between fantasy and reality. The cast once again centers Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur alongside Gaga's Lee, with supporting roles from Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, and others, all under the direction of Todd Phillips.

Joker: Folie à Deux may not have become the cultural juggernaut many expected, but its messy reception, polarizing choices, and Gaga's candid response have kept it in the conversation long after its theatrical run, now continuing on streaming. But let's be honest here, even the strangest films have the ability to find an audience that celebrates it, so it isn't that serious.

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