Joker 2: Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn Performance Praised
Given that Lady Gaga was not the first choice for the role, her portrayal of the evil Harley Quinn in the upcoming Joker sequel shocked the cast and crew throughout production.
Joker: During a panel discussion at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on Friday, July 5, casting director Francine Maisler of Folie à Deux disclosed that the 38-year-old Grammy winner was not her first choice for the part.
Gaga's co-star Joaquin Phoenix was persuaded to take the main role in the movie by director Todd Phillips.
"You guys, she looks so fantastic in it. Maisler said, "She's going to blow your mind." "I didn't recommend Lady Gaga,"
Maisler said, "It wasn't my concept. Todd Phillips did that before me. She's extremely fantastic, though, and somewhat unexpected, I must say. When I saw that, I was taken aback. Although we were all aware of her abilities from A Star Is Born, I reasoned that it was somewhat inside her comfort zone. Something genuine and doable on her part. However, this man—she's good.
"Joaquin is amazing, but it's clear that she's talented because she could keep up with him and be genuine rather than being completely erased from the screen by the role and performance," she said.
The next DC Comics thriller, which stars Phoenix, 49, as Arthur Fleck, aka the titular Joker, is scheduled for release on October 4. For his role as the deluded genius and one of Batman's fiercest rivals, he even took home the Best Actor Oscar at the 2020 Oscars.
Owing to Gaga's involvement and love of music, the new movie's soundtrack will feature a lot of cover songs.
Variety claims that the film will be a "jukebox musical" with at least 15 "very well-known" songs as well as some original music.
The source was informed in March by insiders that while the identity of the writers and singers of the covers is still unknown, the song "That's Entertainment" from the 1953 musical The Band Wagon will be included.
The title of the R-rated musical, Folie à Deux, means "madness for two" in French. While incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital in Gotham City, Gaga's Harley and Phoenix's Joker fall in love and journey together into insanity.
The ensemble cast of Joker: Folie à Deux, which also stars Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Zazie Beetz, will provide support for Gaga and Phoenix. The $200 million budget for the sequel is higher than the $60 million for its 2019 predecessor, and movie also has more actors.
"Joker: Folie á Deux," Todd Phillips' anticipated follow-up to his first "Joker" movie, is said to have a strong musical component. The Oscar-winning actress and performer Lady Gaga's casting as Harley Quinn makes perfect sense.
Casting director Francine Maisler did not, however, have the original idea to pair the "Bad Romance" singer with Joaquin Phoenix.
The 53-year-old Phillips chose Gaga for the role. And it seems he made the correct choice.
"You guys, she looks so fantastic in it. According to IndieWire, Maisler, 61, stated, "She's going to blow your mind," during her July 5 speech at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. "I did not recommend Lady Gaga. I did not come up with the concept. Todd Phillips did that before me. She's extremely fantastic, though, and somewhat unexpected, I must say. When I saw that, I was taken aback. Although we were all aware of her abilities from "A Star Is Born," I reasoned that it was somewhat inside her comfort zone. Something genuine and doable on her part. However, this She's excellent, man.