The "negativity" around 2024 drama-thriller and musical Joker: Folie á Deux was so overpowering that all Lady Gaga could do was laugh at it.
Gaga, who starred as Harley Quinn in the Joker sequel, discussed her reaction to criticism of the film in a new Rolling Stone feature. In the widely panned Todd Phillips-directed movie, Gaga starred opposite Joaquin Phoenix, who returned to the franchise as protagonist Arthur Fleck. In addition to the poor reception, Folie á Deux earned a little over $207 million globally against a $200 million budget, making it a box office bomb.
"There was a ton of negativity around Joker. And I think I was feeling artistically rebellious at the time," the 14-time Grammy winner told Rolling Stone.
Gaga added that while she wasn't "unfazed," she remains "nervous" to share her reaction to the response that the film received. "But the truth is, when it first started happening, I started laughing. Because it was just getting so unhinged," she recalled.
"When it takes a while for something to kind of dissipate, that can be a little bit more painful. Only because I put a lot of myself into it," the MAYHEM artist continued.
Another role that Gaga nearly lost herself in was her breakout as Ally Campana in 2018 musical drama A Star Is Born. While the film was a success, even earning Gaga an Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Shallow"), she lent so much of her energy to the role of Campana that her sister snapped her out of it. At the time, the vocalist was on her 'Joanne' world tour.
"I did A Star Is Born on lithium," Gaga revealed to Rolling Stone. "There was one day that my sister said to me, ‘I don’t see my sister anymore.' And I canceled the tour. There was one day I went to the hospital for psychiatric care. I needed to take a break."
Gaga added that she "couldn't do anything" and "completely crashed. "It was really scary," she recalled. "There was a time where I didn’t think I could get better.… I feel really lucky to be alive. I know that might sound dramatic, but we know how this can go."
At least for now, the performer can relax until awards season, as she's up for seven nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year ("Abracadabra") and Album of the Year (MAYHEM).