Lady Gaga Responds to Joker 2 Backlash

Pop superstar and actor Lady Gaga has addressed the mixed reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. Since the film's release, Gaga, who portrayed Harley Quinn, has largely remained silent, though she did release a companion album, Harlequin. In a recent interview with Elle, she finally shared her perspective on the film's less-than-stellar reviews. Gaga explained that she manages the pressure of negative feedback by setting realistic expectations beforehand. "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.”

Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 hit, premiered last October to a less-than-enthusiastic response from critics and audiences alike. Currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reviews have described it as mediocre and a missed opportunity. Its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav later labeling its performance "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 mixed reception of Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga is moving forward with other projects. She recently announced the release of her new studio album, Mayhem, this March, marking the end of a five-year hiatus since Chromatica. For more on Joker 2, explore differing perspectives: learn why Quentin Tarantino enjoyed the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception will evolve over time. You can also find our list of 2024's biggest disappointments [here].