Pop music superstar and actor Lady Gaga has candidly shared her thoughts on the mixed reception to her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux. The Grammy-winning artist, who portrayed a more grounded version of the iconic DC comics villain Harley Quinn, had remained largely silent about the movie since its release. However, she recently opened up about her experience and the film's critical and audience response during an interview with Elle.

Gaga released a companion album titled Harlequin to deepen her connection with the project. Reflecting on the film's reception, she emphasized the importance of managing expectations and maintaining resilience as an artist. "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 director Todd Phillips' highly successful 2019 film, premiered last October but failed to meet the high expectations set by its predecessor. The movie garnered a disappointing 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review rated it a 5/10, describing 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 lackluster performance in theaters led to a swift digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav later labeling the film’s box office results as "disappointing."

Addressing the fear of failure, Gaga remarked, "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, Gaga remains focused on her future projects. She recently announced the release of her latest studio album, Mayhem, set to launch this March, ending a five-year hiatus since her last full-length record, Chromatica.

For more insights into 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, our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 can be found here.