The responses to “Joker: Folie à Deux” were chaotic at best and scathing at worst. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga as Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime and Harley Quinn, respectively, the follow-up to DC’s 2019 hit “Joker” boasts a 31% score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that most critics aren’t fans of the flick. Even acclaimed filmmakers like Paul Schrader were vocal about their hatred of “Joker 2,” with the “Taxi Driver” screenwriter blasting the leads’ performances and admitting to walking out of the movie.

Despite the negative responses to Todd Phillips’ sequel, Gaga isn’t worried. While speaking to Elle, the “Poker Face” hitmaker claimed that sometimes, art just doesn’t connect with audiences for whatever reason, and that’s fine. In her own words:

“People just sometimes don’t like some things. It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended.”

The good news, though, is that Gaga won’t let a few negative reviews stop her from taking chances down the line. “Joker 2” certainly has its faults, but R-rated musicals about sociopathic comic book characters are few and far between in the mainstream cinematic landscape. Fair play to everyone involved for taking a wild swing, right? What’s more, Gaga had fun playing Harley Quinn.

Lady Gaga’s performance as Harley Quinn in “Joker 2” raised some questions, as the final cut of the movie left out some of her most memorable scenes from its trailer. Some of the film’s biggest critics also believe that she was underserved in favor of Joaquin Phoenix hogging most of the limelight, but the pop star seemed to enjoy the experience regardless.

In an interview with “Good Morning America,” Gaga described working on “Joker 2” as a liberating experience that allowed her to channel hidden parts of her own personality. At the same time, it was difficult for her to come out of her comfort zone. In her own words:

“I was able to put some things of myself in her that maybe I’ve always been embarrassed of or things that are really private. When I first saw the film, I remember thinking, ‘Oh,’ like ‘that’s in there.’ That part of me that I want no one to know about — she’s kind of so uncomfortable.”

Overall, it seems like Gaga is happy with the movie as it allowed her to take some artistic risks and confront her insecurities. It’s just a shame that audiences didn’t feel the same way about the maligned sequel upon its release, but “Joker 2” isn’t the type of movie that was made to be enjoyed by everyone.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is currently streaming on Max.