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

Pop music icon and actor Lady Gaga recently broke her silence on the critical and fan backlash to her latest film, "Joker: Folie à Deux." In this sequel, Gaga took on the role of a more grounded Harley Quinn and complemented the film with a companion album titled "Harlequin." After months of silence on the matter, she shared her thoughts in an interview with Elle, revealing how she copes with negative feedback by setting realistic expectations from the outset.

"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 successful 2019 film, was released last October. Unfortunately, it received unfavorable reviews, currently holding a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review gave it a 5/10, labeling 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 film's theatrical run was disappointing, leading to an early digital release. Warner Bros. Discover CEO David Zaslav later described its performance as "disappointing."

Gaga reflected on the challenges of facing such criticism, saying, "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 pushing forward with new projects. She recently announced the release of her latest studio album, "Mayhem," set for March, ending a five-year hiatus since her last full-length album, "Chromatica."

For further insights on "Joker: Folie à Deux," 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, check out our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 here.