Lady Gaga Defends 'Joker 2' Amidst Criticism

Lady Gaga Addresses the Backlash Against 'Joker: Folie à Deux'

Pop icon and actress Lady Gaga has finally addressed the mixed reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. Following the film's release, Gaga, who portrayed Harley Quinn, remained largely silent on the matter. Her involvement extended to a companion album, Harlequin, further solidifying her commitment to the project. However, in a recent interview with Elle, she opened up about the negative criticism.

Gaga explained that she navigated the negativity, as she does with any challenging release, by managing her expectations beforehand. She stated simply, "People just sometimes don’t like some things. 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.”

Did Joker: Folie à Deux's ending work for you?

Yes.No.Meh -- let's talk in the comments.AnswerSee Results

Released last October, Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips' highly successful 2019 film, received less-than-stellar reviews from critics and audiences alike. Currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film's performance has been described as "mediocre" and failing to meet its potential. Its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release and prompting Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to label the film's box office results as "disappointing."

Gaga acknowledged the challenges of dealing with such criticism, 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 underperformance, Gaga remains focused on future projects. Her new studio album, Mayhem, is set for release this March, marking the culmination of a five-year wait since her last full-length album, Chromatica. For further perspectives on Joker: Folie à Deux, you can explore opinions from Quentin Tarantino and Hideo Kojima, as well as a list of 2024's biggest cinematic disappointments.