Lady Gaga Responds to Joker 2 Backlash: 'Some Things Just Aren't Liked'

Pop music icon and actor Lady Gaga recently addressed the lukewarm reception to her latest cinematic venture, "Joker: Folie à Deux." The multi-talented artist, who portrayed a more grounded version of the iconic DC villain Harley Quinn, had remained relatively silent about the film since its debut. Alongside her role, Gaga released a companion album titled "Harlequin." In a candid interview with Elle, she finally shared her perspective on the film's reception, emphasizing her approach to handling criticism and disappointment.

"People just sometimes don’t like some things," Gaga 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," a follow-up to director Todd Phillips' highly acclaimed 2019 film, hit theaters last October but failed to meet expectations, garnering only a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review gave it a modest 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that "wastes its potential as a movie musical, a courtroom drama, and a sequel that has anything meaningful to say about or add to the first Joker." The movie's disappointing box office performance led to an early digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeling the film's performance as "disappointing."

Reflecting on the fear of failure, Gaga remarked, "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem."

Despite the setback with "Joker: Folie à Deux," Lady Gaga is forging ahead with new projects. She announced that her latest studio album, "Mayhem," is set to release this March, ending a five-year hiatus since her last full-length album, "Chromatica." For further insights into "Joker 2," you can explore why Quentin Tarantino says he loved the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes the movie’s reception will change over time. Additionally, you can check out our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 here.