Lady Gaga on Joker 2 Backlash: 'People Just Don't Like Some Things'

Pop music superstar and actor Lady Gaga has recently addressed the negative feedback surrounding her latest film, "Joker: Folie à Deux." Despite the Grammy-winning artist's silence on the project since its release, where she portrayed a more grounded version of the iconic DC comics villain Harley Quinn, Gaga has now shared her insights in an interview with Elle. To complement her role, she also released a companion album titled "Harlequin." Gaga discussed managing the film's reception by setting realistic expectations and embracing the nature of artistic work.

"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’ critically acclaimed 2019 film, premiered last October to mixed reviews. The film has struggled, receiving a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own 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 disappointing theatrical run led to an early digital release, prompting Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to label the film’s performance as "disappointing."

Gaga acknowledged the challenges that come with such a reception, 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 setback with "Joker: Folie à Deux," Lady Gaga is forging ahead with new projects. She recently announced the release of her latest studio album, "Mayhem," set for this March, ending a five-year hiatus since her last album, "Chromatica." For further insights on "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 find our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 here.