Joker: Folie à Deux’s Crushing Failure Taking a Toll on Lady Gaga, She’s Turned into an “old lady overnight” – Report

Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips’ 2019 masterpiece, saw Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role of the Clown Prince of Crime. But this time he was not alone. Lady Gaga came as Harley Quinn and added her own twist of chaos to it.

The film was expected to blow minds by attempting to combine the dark world of Gotham with the musical elements. It all sounded like a recipe for success. But sometimes, things go horribly wrong, even if they have been carefully planned. And for Lady Gaga, this cinematic experiment has apparently been more dramatic than expected.

Lady Gaga Receives Criticism from Friends After Joker 2‘s Failure

Joker: Folie à Deux is not only failing at the box office, it is failing at every front. Variety reveals that the movie risks losing between $150 million to $200 million in its theatrical run. That is a lot, especially considering that the movie was produced at $200 million and marketed at around $100 million.

Joker 2 is currently rated 32% by both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Apparently, this latest failure is not only a professional misfortune for Lady Gaga, but it has affected her emotionally. An insider revealed to Life & Style that Gaga is “crushed” by the poor reviews.

“That’s been hard to take and has really taken the wind out of her sails,” the insider said. However, it is not only the movie blues that are really taking a toll on Gaga. Her friends are reportedly taunting her over the changes in her lifestyle. The insider said,

They’re accusing her of turning into an old lady overnight and complaining that she doesn’t know how to have a good time anymore.

Apparently, the days of wild parties and outrageous outfits are gone now. Now Gaga’s definition of a good time is staying home with her fiancé, Michael Polansky. The couple’s engagement in April has only added more fuel to the fire. Gaga’s friends revealed that she spends most of her time at home, deferring to Michael about social plans. The insider added,

Of course, Michael is getting the blame because he’s known to be quite a controlling guy who would rather have her all to himself.

But Gaga’s not having it. The source said that Gaga feels “no matter what she does people are criticizing her.” She has chosen her low-key life now, and Polanski is her chance to lead a normal life away from the glitz and glamor of being a pop icon.

Fan Burned Chair at Joker: Folie à Deux Screening

It seems like Gaga is not completely wrong about getting criticism irrespective of her actions. Recently, a 32-year-old man attending the Joker 2 screening in São Paulo, Brazil, felt the movie could use some extra flare and lit a chair on fire.

But here is the catch, it was not because he did not like the movie. The fiery protest was aimed at capturing Lady Gaga’s attention. The man was irritated that Gaga has not performed in Brazil for a while. The Hollywood Handle (via CinePOP) said on X that the man “acted in protest and to draw the attention of the artist Lady Gaga.”

This protester further threatened to cause more damage if Gaga does not find her way to Brazil soon. Gaga earlier planned to perform at Rio de Janeiro’s Rock in Rio music festival in 2017. But she couldn’t do it due to a health complication of fibromyalgia, an illness that causes chronic pain all over the body.

At the time, Gaga apologized to her fans in Brazil on Instagram, promising to get back and perform as soon as she would be okay. Most of the fans wished her well, but it looks like some are still holding the grudge. With all these happenings around, it can be understood why Gaga might be wishing to stay with her fiancé at home.

Joker: Folie à Deux will be available on streaming platforms from October 29, 2024.