Lady Gaga Reflects on ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Backlash, Says Early Pile-On Made Her Laugh

In a Rolling Stone interview, she says the outcry felt “unhinged” before it hurt because she had poured herself into the role.

Overview

Gaga recalls initially laughing at the intensity of negative reactions to the 2024 sequel before acknowledging the criticism eventually stung.
She says she worked hard on portraying a version of Harley Quinn and felt pain as the backlash persisted because she invested deeply in the performance.
Reports note the film drew largely unfavorable reviews from critics and audiences.
The 2019 Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, was a major hit and crossed $1 billion worldwide, heightening expectations for the follow-up.
Gaga says she redirected the experience into her music, pointing to creative energy poured into new work such as the “Disease” video.