Lady Gaga jokes that the wild ‘Joker 2’ backlash became so absurd she “just had to laugh”

Lady Gaga, the powerhouse performer who took on the role of Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux, is finally opening up about the film’s intensely negative reception and its chaotic aftermath.

She confessed that the deluge of online vitriol and brutal reviews for the sequel became so extreme that her initial reaction wasn’t pain or sadness, but simply laughter. The pop icon, known for her candid honesty, has admitted that the sheer volume and “unhinged” nature of the criticism was something she hadn’t anticipated, even for such a polarizing project.

The sequel to the 2019 smash hit was a huge gamble, especially with the decision to make it a musical, and the disappointing results led to a frenzy of backlash across the internet.

Here’s what you need to know about her experience and how she processed the cinematic chaos.

What Did Gaga Mean by “Unhinged” Criticism?

Gaga’s use of the word “unhinged” perfectly captures the level of fury that met Joker: Folie à Deux from both critics and a large segment of the audience.

The film, which saw Joaquin Phoenix reprise his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck, suffered a critical drubbing, earning a dismal Rotten Tomatoes rating that starkly contrasted with the original’s success. While the first Joker was a cultural phenomenon that raked in over $1 billion worldwide, the sequel stumbled at the domestic box office.

The negative reaction was immediate and relentless, focusing heavily on the film’s unusual blend of genres. The decision to incorporate musical numbers was a key point of contention, with many fans of the gritty 2019 original feeling it betrayed the established tone.

Lady Gaga told Rolling Stone that when the backlash first began, it was “just getting so unhinged” that she initially “started laughing.” This was a project that was highly anticipated, and when it failed to meet the lofty expectations, the online reaction escalated far beyond typical negative reviews.

How Did She Deal with the Longevity of the Negative Reaction?

While the initial absurdity of the criticism drew a laugh, the actress admitted that the ongoing nature of the backlash eventually took a toll.

Putting an immense amount of work and self into a character, only to see the resulting film widely rejected, is a difficult experience for any creative person. Gaga confessed that the marathon of negative sentiment became “a little bit more painful” as time went on.

She explained that she had invested a great deal of herself into her unique portrayal of Lee Quinzel, a different iteration of the classic Harley Quinn character. The pain she felt was a direct result of her deep commitment to the artistic endeavor, not a reaction to failure itself. For her, the difficulty wasn’t the bad reviews but the feeling of a significant personal investment not connecting with the audience as intended.

Did the Backlash Fuel Her Artistic Rebellion?

Gaga sees the controversial nature of the film as an exercise in “artistic rebellion,” a feeling that informed her creativity outside of the movie.

She stated that “there was a ton of negativity around Joker,” but that she was embracing a feeling of artistic defiance at the time. This mindset allowed her to approach the project knowing it was a big risk.

The star channelled the intense experience of the film’s reception into her other creative work. She revealed that the emotions surrounding the movie were poured into the music video for her song “Disease.” This process of artistic expression served as a therapeutic way to process the chaos and the personal struggle that followed filming.

What is Her Philosophy on Creating Divisive Art?

Gaga maintains a remarkably grounded and humble philosophy on the nature of art and public reception.

Long before the latest wave of criticism, she had already offered a matter-of-fact perspective on creative risks. In a separate interview, she was quoted as saying, “People just sometimes don’t like some things. It’s that simple.“

She believes that a core part of being an artist is accepting that not every piece of work will land with every person. You must be willing for people to sometimes not like it. This stoic acceptance of subjective taste is what allows her to continue taking bold swings, even after experiencing a high-profile flop.

Was Her Performance Still Praised?

Despite the overwhelmingly negative consensus surrounding the film, Lady Gaga’s individual performance as the new Harley Quinn was often singled out as a highlight.

Critics who panned the overall movie still frequently acknowledged her compelling, albeit underutilized, presence on screen. Her take on the character, which reimagined her as Arthur Fleck‘s fellow patient Lee Quinzel, was a departure from previous interpretations.

The positive feedback for her portrayal provided a silver lining to the whole messy affair. Her critical success in a poorly received film further validates her skill as a serious dramatic actress, building on her success in A Star Is Born and House of Gucci.

Even in the face of a theatrical box office slump and a barrage of bad press, her star power and acting credibility remained intact. The enduring praise for her work underscores the difficulty of the project, a great performance trapped inside a divisive film.

TL;DR

• Lady Gaga described the massive backlash to the musical sequel Joker: Folie à Deux as “unhinged.”
• Her initial reaction to the extreme criticism was to start laughing because the online discourse became so absurd.
• She admitted that the prolonged nature of the negative reviews eventually became “painful,” as she put a lot of herself into the character of Lee Quinzel (Harley Quinn).
• Gaga viewed the project as an act of “artistically rebellious” creation, using the experience to inspire new music, including her song “Disease.”
• Her overall philosophy is that an artist must be willing for people to “sometimes not like” their work, emphasizing the need to move past the fear of failure.
• Despite the film’s critical and commercial struggles, Gaga’s individual performance was often praised by critics.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.