Lady Gaga Breaks Silence on Joker Sequel Backlash

Lady Gaga Addresses Backlash to '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, though she did release a companion album, Harlequin. In a recent interview with Elle, she shared her perspective on the negative feedback.

Gaga explained that she navigated the criticism, as she does with any challenging release, by managing her expectations beforehand. She acknowledged that not everyone will appreciate every artistic endeavor. "People just sometimes don’t like some things," she stated. "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."

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

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

Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 hit, debuted last October to a less-than-enthusiastic response from critics and audiences. It currently holds a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews describing it as mediocre and failing to live up to its potential. Its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release and a statement from Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling the film's performance "disappointing."

Gaga acknowledged the challenges of facing 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 mixed reception of Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga continues to focus on future projects. Her new album, Mayhem, is set for release this March, following a five-year hiatus since Chromatica. For further perspectives on the film, explore opinions from Quentin Tarantino and Hideo Kojima, and review our list of 2024's most disappointing films.