Pop music icon and acclaimed actress Lady Gaga has recently shared her thoughts on the critical and audience response to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. The multi-talented artist, who portrayed a more grounded version of the DC comics character Harley Quinn, had remained relatively silent about her involvement in the movie until now. Gaga's performance was accompanied by a companion album titled Harlequin. In a candid conversation with Elle, she opened up about managing her expectations and dealing with the film's negative reception.
"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."
AnswerSee ResultsJoker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to director Todd Phillips’ blockbuster 2019 film, hit theaters last October but failed to meet expectations. It received a lukewarm response, holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our review gave it a 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that "wastes its potential as a movie musical, a courtroom drama, and a sequel that has anything meaningful to say about or add to the first Joker." The movie's theatrical run was brief, leading to an early digital release. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav later labeled the film's performance as "disappointing."
"When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of," Gaga reflected on the fear of failure. "It’s part of the mayhem."
Despite the setback with Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga is focusing on her future projects. She announced that her new studio album, Mayhem, is set to release this March, ending a five-year hiatus since her last album, Chromatica. For more insights into Joker: Folie à Deux, you can explore why Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception may evolve over time. Additionally, check out our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 here.
