Lady Gaga Initially Laughed at "Unhinged" 'Joker 2' Criticism, Then Felt the Sting

Turns out, even Oscar winners and pop superstars aren't immune to a good laugh when faced with truly wild movie reviews. Lady Gaga recently shared her surprising initial reaction to the intense backlash against "Joker: Folie à Deux," admitting she couldn't help but crack up at how "unhinged" things got. But beneath the laughter, a deeper pain emerged from the project she poured her heart into.

TL;DR: The Quick Scoop on Gaga's 'Joker 2' Feelings

• Lady Gaga initially laughed at the overwhelmingly negative reception of "Joker: Folie à Deux," calling the criticism "unhinged."
• The laughter eventually turned to "pain" as the criticism lingered, acknowledging how much of herself she invested in the role of Harley Quinn/Lee Quinzel.
• Despite the film's critical and commercial struggle, Gaga's performance was often cited as a standout, and she channeled the experience into her new music, including the song "Disease."

From Artistic Rebellion to Cinematic Reality: The 'Joker' Sequel Story When "Joker: Folie à Deux" hit theaters in 2024, it arrived with a lot weighing on its shoulders. Its predecessor, 2019's "Joker," defied expectations, raking in over $1 billion globally and snagging Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor. That film, with its gritty, severe tone reminiscent of a Martin Scorsese picture, polarized audiences but ultimately rode a wave of controversy to immense success. Source: [MovieWeb, "How Lady Gaga Feels About Joker 2's Overwhelmingly Negative Reception", November 13, 2025]. So, naturally, the musical sequel – yes, a musical! – starring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn opposite Phoenix's Arthur Fleck, was under immense scrutiny. Gaga herself admitted she was "feeling artistically rebellious" at the time due to the negativity around the first "Joker" film, which seemingly drew her to the audacious follow-up.

The "Unhinged" Online Storm and Lady Gaga's Initial Amusement

The moment the reviews and audience reactions started rolling in for "Joker: Folie à Deux," it became clear this wasn't going to be another billion-dollar phenomenon. The film quickly earned a dismal 31% critic and audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Source: [Deadline, "Lady Gaga Breaks Silence On ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Negative Reviews", November 14, 2025]. Many viewers and critics outright called it one of the worst films ever made. Lady Gaga recounted her initial reaction to Rolling Stone, saying, "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." It seems the sheer, escalating absurdity of the backlash was, at first, more amusing than disheartening. "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."— Lady Gaga to Rolling Stone

When Laughter Fades: The Lingering Pain of a Passion Project

However, that initial burst of laughter couldn't last forever. For an artist who pours "a lot of myself into" her work, the sustained criticism began to take its toll. "When it takes a while for something to kind of dissipate, that can be a little bit more painful," Gaga elaborated. This "pain" speaks to the deep investment she makes in her roles, a commitment evident in her prior work like "A Star Is Born." Consider this real-world scenario: A fan, let's call her Maya, adored the gritty realism and intense character study of the first "Joker." She went into "Folie à Deux" with cautious optimism, intrigued by Gaga's casting. But within the first thirty minutes, as musical numbers started to dominate and the narrative felt disconnected from the grounded despair of the original, Maya found herself bewildered, then frustrated. The film simply didn't connect with her, mirroring the widespread sentiment that led to its "megaflop" status at the box office, grossing just over $207 million globally against a reported $200 million production budget. Source: [TechRadar, "How Lady Gaga Feels About Joker 2's Overwhelmingly Negative Reception", November 14, 2025]. (Example)

Responding to the Backlash: Artistic Expression as a Coping Mechanism

It wasn't just box office numbers that reflected the film's struggles. "Joker: Folie à Deux" even landed on the infamous Razzie Awards list, picking up dishonors for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel and Worst Screen Combo for Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix. Despite the film's overall reception, many critics actually singled out Gaga's performance as a highlight, acknowledging her incredible energy and ability to complement Phoenix's portrayal. This offers a counterpoint: while the movie as a whole struggled, individual contributions can still shine through. Her unique take on Harley Quinn, portrayed as an emotional and grounded version of the character, was often praised.

Channeling the Anguish into New Artistic Ventures

So, how does an artist cope with such a public and sustained rejection of a major project? For Lady Gaga, the answer was, fittingly, more art. She channeled her angst and rebellious energy into her music, specifically the song "Disease" and its accompanying dark music video, released in 2024. The video for "Disease" is described as intense, starting with Gaga lying "presumably dead across the hood of a car," and featuring versions of herself battling a dark alter-ego. "I put so much of that energy into that video," she explained to Rolling Stone. "I was in that place, you know, I was like, 'I'll show you who I am, and I'll show you what this fight is like.'" This demonstrates a powerful tradeoff: the pain of a film's failure can fuel intense, cathartic artistic creation elsewhere.

A Director's Vision Versus Audience Expectations: An Unavoidable Tradeoff

One interesting aspect to consider is the reported intention behind "Joker: Folie à Deux." Some analysis suggests that director Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the script with Scott Silver, deliberately crafted the sequel as a "pointed rebuke" of the first film's success and its admirers. By portraying Joker as "weak and pathetic" and highlighting that his inspired "revolution" lacked a real ethos, the film might have intentionally distanced itself from what fans loved, leading to an unavoidable disconnect. This bold creative choice, to subvert expectations rather than replicate success, is a significant limitation on a film's commercial viability. While it might appeal to a niche audience or serve a specific artistic statement, it risks alienating the broader base that made the original a blockbuster. It’s a classic artistic tradeoff: integrity of vision versus mass appeal. Beyond Harley Quinn: Gaga's Continuing Creative Journey The "Joker 2" experience, while painful, is just one chapter in Gaga's multifaceted career. She has upcoming projects like "The Devil Wears Prada 2" and continues her "Mayhem Ball Tour," with four shows set for Paris next week. Her ability to navigate intense creative endeavors, even while facing personal struggles – she famously filmed "A Star Is Born" while taking lithium after a psychotic break, candidly stating she felt "lucky to be alive" – underscores her remarkable resilience. The negative reception of "Joker 2" is, in her trajectory, another artistic challenge met, and channeled.

Practical Takeaways for Understanding Film Reception and Artist Resilience

• Creative Risks Don't Always Pay Off: "Joker: Folie à Deux" shows that a bold departure from a successful formula can lead to audience and critical disconnect, even with major stars.
• Artists Internalize Criticism Differently: Lady Gaga's journey from initial laughter to sustained pain highlights the complex emotional toll of public feedback on a passion project.
• Adversity Fuels Art: For many creators, negative experiences, like a film's failure, can become potent inspiration for new, cathartic works, as seen with Gaga's "Disease."
• Intent vs. Reception Gap: A film's underlying artistic intention, such as subverting audience expectations, can be misunderstood or simply rejected by the public, creating a wide gap between creator and viewer.

Frequently Asked Questions About 'Joker: Folie à Deux'

When did 'Joker: Folie à Deux' officially release? 'Joker: Folie à Deux' premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2024 and had its wide theatrical release on October 4, 2024. What is the runtime of 'Joker: Folie à Deux'? The film has a runtime of 138 minutes. What is the official rating for 'Joker: Folie à Deux'? The film is rated R. Will 'Joker: Folie à Deux' be available on streaming platforms? While it initially had a theatrical release, like most major studio films, it will eventually be available for rent/buy on digital platforms and likely streaming on a service associated with Warner Bros. Pictures.

Sources

• Just Jared, "Lady Gaga Admits She Laughed at 'Unhinged' Criticism of 'Joker: Folie a Deux'", November 15, 2025
• Deadline, "Lady Gaga Breaks Silence On ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Negative Reviews", November 14, 2025
• MovieWeb, "How Lady Gaga Feels About Joker 2's Overwhelmingly Negative Reception", November 13, 2025
• TechRadar, "How Lady Gaga Feels About Joker 2's Overwhelmingly Negative Reception", November 14, 2025
• Gizmodo, "Lady Gaga Reveals Her Reaction to All the ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Hate", November 14, 2025
• Tribune India, "Gaga laughs off ‘Joker’ backlash", November 16, 2025
• People, "Lady Gaga Admits She Laughed at 'Unhinged' Joker: Folie à Deux Reviews: 'I Put a Lot of Myself Into It'", November 13, 2025