Joaquin Phoenix Embraced Lady Gaga's Musical Suggestion For ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

The sequel to ‘Joker’ takes a bold turn by incorporating musical elements, with ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ exploring the emotional depths of its characters through song. The story continues after the first film, but this time, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) and Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga) express their inner struggles through music.

In an interview, Lady Gaga, also known as Stefani Germanotta, emphasised that music is integral to the sequel. She explained, “Music is used to give the characters a way to express what they need to say because the scene and just the dialogue is not enough.” 

Image Courtesy: The Hollywood Repoter

To bring authenticity to their performances, Gaga suggested singing live on set, a bold move that initially left Phoenix uncertain. Phoenix recalled Gaga's suggestion, saying, “Stefani early on was like, 'We're going to sing live,' and I was like, 'No, we're not. 

You can sing live if you want.'” However, they ultimately agreed it was necessary to sing live, as it was the only way to convey the raw emotions their characters were experiencing. Singing live, without pre-recorded tracks or a click track, allowed for spontaneous, unique takes in every scene, contributing to the film’s unpredictability. 

Phoenix noted, “Every part of the recording was live, and every take was a different version of the song.” Despite her professional musical background, Gaga consciously set aside her polished technique to deliver a more raw and unrefined performance. 

She shared, “For me, it was a lot about unlearning technique, forgetting how to breathe properly, and allowing the song to emerge entirely from the character.” This approach enhanced the emotional depth of the film’s musical scenes, offering an unfiltered glimpse into the psyche of its iconic characters.

-Sushmita Sarkar