Lady Gaga Responds to Joker 2 Backlash: 'People Have Different Tastes'

Pop music icon and actress Lady Gaga has recently shared her thoughts on the critical reception of her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. In this sequel, Gaga took on the role of a more grounded version of the iconic DC villain Harley Quinn and also released a companion album titled Harlequin. Despite the film's release last October, Gaga had remained silent on the matter until now, opening up in an interview with Elle about how she copes with negative feedback.

Gaga expressed a pragmatic view on the film's reception, stating, "People just sometimes don’t like some things. 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." Her approach to handling criticism involves setting realistic expectations and moving forward, undeterred by the fear of failure, which she described as part of the "mayhem" of being an artist.

Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips as a follow-up to his highly successful 2019 film, did not meet the expectations set by its predecessor. The movie received a lukewarm response, reflected in its 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review scored it a 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that failed to capitalize on its potential as a musical, a courtroom drama, and a sequel that could have added meaningful content to the Joker narrative. The film's disappointing box office performance led to an early digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling its performance as "disappointing."

Despite the setback with Joker: Folie à Deux, Lady Gaga is not slowing down. She announced her upcoming studio album, Mayhem, set to release this March, marking the end of a five-year hiatus since her last album, Chromatica. This new project signals her continued commitment to her music career, regardless of the challenges faced in her acting endeavors.

For those interested in further insights on Joker: Folie à Deux, you can explore why Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception may improve over time. Additionally, our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 is available for a broader perspective on recent cinematic releases.