Lady Gaga Defends 'Joker 2' From 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 shared her perspective on the negative criticism.

Gaga explained that she navigates negative responses, as 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."

Released last October, Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips' highly successful 2019 film, received underwhelming reviews from critics and audiences alike. Currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav even described the film's performance as "disappointing."

Gaga acknowledged the impact of this less-than-stellar 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 film's mixed reception, Gaga continues to focus on future projects. Her new studio album, Mayhem, is set for release this March, concluding a five-year gap since her last album, Chromatica. For further perspectives on Joker: Folie à Deux, explore differing opinions from Quentin Tarantino and Hideo Kojima, and review our list of 2024's biggest cinematic disappointments.