Lady Gaga on the Negativity Surrounding Joker 2: 'People Just Sometimes Don't Like Some Things'

Pop music superstar and actor Lady Gaga has recently shared her thoughts on the negative reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. In this sequel, Gaga took on the role of a more grounded version of the iconic DC comics villain Harley Quinn, and she also released a companion album titled Harlequin. Despite the film's release last October, Gaga had remained silent about her involvement until now.

In a candid interview with Elle, Gaga opened up about dealing with the film's less-than-favorable reviews. She acknowledged that not every project will be universally loved, stating, "People just sometimes don’t like some things. 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." Gaga emphasized the importance of managing expectations and moving forward despite setbacks.

Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips following his successful 2019 film, has been met with criticism from both fans and critics. The movie currently holds a disappointing 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes across both audience and critic scales. Our own review rated it a 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that fails to capitalize on its potential as a movie musical, courtroom drama, and sequel. The film's underwhelming performance in theaters led to an early digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling its performance as "disappointing."

Gaga reflected on the fear of failure, noting, "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem." Despite the setback with Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga is looking ahead. She announced that her new studio album, Mayhem, will be released this March, marking the end of a five-year hiatus since her last album, Chromatica.

For more insights on Joker: Folie à Deux, you can explore why filmmaker Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception may evolve over time. Additionally, our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 is available for further reading.