Venice 2024: Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga talk ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

Premiering on the Lido this evening, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is the highly anticipated sequel to 2019’s controversial ‘Joker’. Stars Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix discuss making it – and why the latter suddenly quit Todd Haynes’ gay romance film recently.

Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga and filmmaker Todd Phillips are hoping to put a happy face on the Lido as their highly anticipated Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux premieres at 81st Venice Film Festival this evening. 
The film reunites us with Arthur Fleck (AKA Joker), who’s facing a lengthy trial after his previous murder spree. During a trip to a psychiatric rehabilitation centre, he locks eyes with Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) and so unfolds a jukebox musical in which the central characters share in showy delusional grandeur, attempting to decipher the following ‘Knock Knock’ joke punchline: Arthur Fleck who? 
Speaking at the press conference about why she got involved, Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, said, “the first film really, deeply moved me and I loved it so much.” 
She continued: “Sometimes, when stories are told about people that are maybe misunderstood by society, the director gives you a chance, the actors give you a chance, to take a hard look at the world in that way. I got to understand and see something in a way I hadn’t seen before, so that’s why I did this movie.” 
The first Joker, which was released in 2019, was a huge success, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film ever (only recently surpassed by this year’s Deadpool & Wolverine) and winning numerous awards, including two Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Score (a first for DC movies), along with the coveted Golden Lion award at the 76th Venice Film Festival. 
When asked why it’s resonated with so many people, director Todd Phillips said, “some people saw it as a straight-up comic book adaptation, and others saw it as something different. Movies tend to hold a mirror up to society, so I think it felt very timely.”
On the decision to make a sequel, Phillips added: “I knew Joaquin [Phoenix] was not necessarily going to do a sequel to anything ever, and we had joked about doing one, but if we were really gonna do it, it had to scare him in the way the first one did. It had to feel audacious and like we were really swinging for the fences with something different. How can we make something as unexpected as the first one?” 
When asked why he quit Todd Haynes’ gay romance movie, Joaquin Phoenix responded: “I think if I do [answer this], I would just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and the other creatives aren’t here to say their piece and that just doesn’t feel right.” #Joker2#Venezia81pic.twitter.com/FAUx05z4GR
During the conference, Phoenix was also asked about why he abruptly quit an upcoming gay romance movie directed by Todd Haynes, just days before production started.
The news was first reported in August and went viral with speculation among film fans on social media.
In response, Phoenix dodged the question completely: “I think if I do [respond to this], I would just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and the other creatives aren’t here to say their piece and that just doesn’t feel right so, I don’t think I will, yeah. Thank you.”
Joker: Folie à Deux premieres at the Venice Film Festival in Competition and will be released on 2 October.