Lady Gaga Venice Film Festival ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ 2024
VENICE, Italy – Five years after “Joker” won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, director Todd Phillips is arriving with its sequel feeling both excited and nervous.
Joker: Folie à Deux,” one of the most anticipated films of the 81st Venice Film Festival, premiered on Wednesday to an enthusiastic 11-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Sala Grande theatre in recognition both to the film and its stars, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
Phillips spoke his mind before the film’s premiere: “It feels fitting to be back in Venice; it seemed like the natural starting point for us. But I am more anxious this time. It’s one thing to come in as a newcomer, but quite another as someone who’s already established.
Writing the first, Phillips and star Phoenix considered a sequel more of a fanciful afterthought than a given. Phoenix is, in any case, the last actor to covet joining a “franchise.” But an idea started to germinate-one that might follow the music that reverberates in the mind of Arthur Fleck, Phoenix’s character. They felt that any follow-up would need to be just as bold, unpredictable, and audacious as the first.
Joker: Folie à Deux
The first was not projected to gross over a billion dollars at the box office; Phoenix won an Oscar for Best Actor. Its fans included Lady Gaga, who called it “deeply moved” and offering a point of view she had never seen.
Hundreds of Little Monsters had gathered outside the Sala Grande theatre, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lady Gaga on the red carpet. Lady Gaga had wowed in a stunning Christian Dior Haute Couture gown and a dramatic Philip Treacy headpiece that resembled a funeral veil as she made her entrance.
At the start of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the title character, played by Phoenix, is institutionalized and awaiting trial for his crimes. The original film concluded with him shooting late-night host Murray Franklin, portrayed by Robert De Niro, on live television, elevating him to a god-like status for some. In this sequel, Lady Gaga Harley Quinn meets Fleck in a separate ward and the two quickly fall in love, declaring their feelings in song.
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Both Phoenix and Lady Gaga sang their parts live on set, accompanied by a pianist standing just out of frame, but, as Lady Gaga said, “felt like another actor in the room.”
Lady Gaga explained, “I focused on letting go of technical skills and not overthinking my breathing so that the song could naturally flow from the character. This approach allows the characters to express themselves more authentically.
Phoenix, who was initially apprehensive about singing live, says, “The joy for me was taking these classic songs and adapting them to fit the specificities of the characters.”
They also learned months’ worth of choreographies for different sequences-from a waltz in the rain-still, they say, it often changed at the last minute:.
We all did very well under spontaneity and chaos,” Lady Gaga said. “We needed to discover the truth of each scene and capture the genuine moments every day.
She continued, “You can get into a song or a dance routine, but that doesn’t always be that authentic on camera.
Phoenix most recently made headlines for pulling out of a Todd Haynes film mere days prior to the start of shooting. He wouldn’t go into it, out of respect for the other creatives involved who couldn’t be reached for comment. Phoenix also didn’t dwell on the drastic weight loss he underwent for the role of Arthur Fleck, after he says he regretted dwelling on it so much during the last film’s press tour.
Hours before its red-carpet premiere, Lady Gaga dramatically arrived at the Lido on Wednesday. Fans and photographers crowded the docks outside the Excelsior Hotel, eager to catch a glimpse of her. She emerged from a private water taxi with Phillips and Phoenix as the crowd erupted with cheers of “Lady Gaga!”
On the pier, she sent the pack of frenzied fans into raptures by blowing them kisses, signing autographs, and accepting flowers from one of her admirers. And she looked every inch the superstar in a stunning black Dior Haute Couture sporting shades and a beret that showed off her blonde hair to perfection.
A Star Is Born
Of course, at a festival teeming with major Hollywood names- think Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt- Lady Gaga’s in a class all her own when it comes to making red-carpet moments unforgettable.
Six years ago, during the premiere of “A Star Is Born,” she stole the attention of the festival en passant with her unforgettable appearances: the stunning black Jonathan Simkhai bustier dress on the private water taxi, blowing kisses to fans and photographers, or making a dramatic appearance in the pale pink feathered Valentino Couture gown against the rainy backdrop.
In a few hours, reviews for the film will drop, which could set its course for the next few months: Oscar contender or billion-dollar box office success.
A sequel to “Joker” again puts itself out in front for the festival’s top prizes, together with such titles as Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” Pablo Pablo Larraín’s “Maria” and Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl” are also in the running. The winners will be revealed on September 7, the festival’s final day.
Phillips added to the pressure brought on by competition, “The challenging aspect is feeling the scrutiny; it brings a different kind of pressure.”
