Lady Gaga Addresses Harsh ‘Joker 2’ Reviews: “People Just Sometimes Don’t Like Some Things”
Lady Gaga is trying to keep a smile on her face after the disappointing audience response to Joker: Folie à Deux.
In an interview with Elle magazine that published online Tuesday, the star discussed director Todd Phillips‘ recent sequel, which underwhelmed critically and commercially when Warner Bros. released it in October. In this follow-up to the Oscar-winning 2019 box office smash Joker, Gaga stars as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix‘s return as Arthur Fleck, known as the titular DC Comics villain.
“People just sometimes don’t like some things,” Gaga said in her first public comments about reactions to the film, although she did not mention it by name. “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.”
Gaga added that she aims to never let a fear of failure impact her creative decisions. “When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of,” said Gaga, who is promoting her forthcoming album, Mayhem. “It’s part of the mayhem.”
Joker: Folie à Deux currently holds a 31 percent approval score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film collected $207 million at the worldwide box office, marking a distinct downturn from the first movie, which surpassed $1 billion globally.
In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, chief film critic David Rooney called the sequel “uneven” but offered praise for Gaga’s performance: “Gaga is a compelling live-wire presence, splitting the difference between affinity and obsession, while endearingly giving Arthur a shot of joy and hope that has him singing ‘When You’re Smiling’ on his way to court. Their musical numbers, both duets and solos, have a vitality that the more often dour film desperately needs.”
