Lady Gaga on the Negativity Surrounding Joker 2: 'People Just Sometimes Don't Like Some Things'

Pop superstar and actor Lady Gaga has addressed the mixed reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. Following the film's release, Gaga, who portrays Harley Quinn, remained largely silent on the matter. However, in a recent interview with Elle, she shared her perspective, revealing she navigated the negative feedback by managing her expectations beforehand.

"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 sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 hit, premiered last October to less-than-stellar reviews from critics and audiences alike. Currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film's reception has been widely considered underwhelming. Its theatrical run was short-lived, leading to a swift digital release and prompting Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to label its 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 Joker: Folie à Deux's less-than-successful run, Gaga continues to focus on future projects. She recently announced the release of her new studio album, Mayhem, this March, concluding a five-year wait since her previous album, Chromatica. For further perspectives on Joker 2, explore Quentin Tarantino's positive review and Hideo Kojima's prediction of a changing reception over time. You can also find our list of 2024's biggest disappointments [here].