Pop music icon and actress Lady Gaga has recently shared her thoughts on the less-than-stellar reception of her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. Since the movie's release, Gaga, who played a nuanced version of the DC comics villain Harley Quinn, had remained relatively silent about her role. Alongside the film, she released a companion album titled Harlequin. In a candid interview with Elle, Gaga opened up about navigating the negativity surrounding the film, emphasizing the importance of managing expectations as part of her process.
"People just sometimes don’t like some things," Gaga remarked. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended."
Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to director Todd Phillips' gargantuan 2019 film, hit theaters last October but received mixed reviews. Critics and fans alike were underwhelmed, with the movie currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for both critics and audience scores. Our own 5/10 review described it as a "mediocre" film that failed to capitalize on its potential as a movie musical, courtroom drama, and sequel lacking meaningful additions to the original Joker. The film's disappointing performance led to an early digital release, and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav called the film’s performance "disappointing."
Gaga acknowledged the difficulty of dealing with fear of failure, stating, "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem."
Despite the film's reception, Gaga is looking ahead with enthusiasm. She recently announced her upcoming studio album, Mayhem, set for release this March, marking the end of a five-year hiatus since her last full-length album, Chromatica. For more insights into Joker: Folie à Deux, explore why Quentin Tarantino says he loved the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes the movie’s reception will change over time. Additionally, you can review our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 here.
