Lady Gaga Opens Up About “Unhinged” Backlash to ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ a Year After Film’s Release

Lady Gaga has opened up about the backlash she faced for her role as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux, admitting the criticism was “unhinged” and at times painful.

The 37-year-old singer and actress told Rolling Stone that while she initially laughed at the wave of negativity, it was difficult when the criticism lingered longer than expected. “There was a ton of negativity around Joker. And I think I was feeling artistically rebellious at the time,” she said.

“I wasn’t, like, unfazed. It’s funny, I’m almost nervous to share my reaction. But the truth is, when it first started happening, I started laughing. Because it was just getting so unhinged.”

Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips and co-written with Scott Silver, serves as the sequel to the 2019 hit Joker. Joaquin Phoenix returned as Arthur Fleck/Joker, while Gaga joined the cast as Harleen Quinzel. The film also stars Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, and Leigh Gill.

Released in October 2024 after premiering at the Venice Film Festival, the movie received overwhelmingly negative reviews. It holds a 31% rating on both Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience scores.

The film also earned multiple Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel and Worst Screen Combo for Gaga and Phoenix. Despite its $190–200 million budget, Folie à Deux grossed just $207.5 million worldwide, making it a financial disappointment.

Gaga reflected on the experience, explaining that the criticism was particularly hard because she invested so much of herself into the character. “When it takes a while for something to kind of dissipate, that can be a little bit more painful. Only because I put a lot of myself into it,” she said.

The film was originally conceived as a standalone story, but the success of the first Joker led Warner Bros. to pursue a sequel, offering Phillips and Phoenix more creative freedom and a bigger budget. Filming took place across New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey from late 2022 to early 2023.

While the reception was harsh, Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn remains a talking point among fans and critics alike.

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