‘She Does A Lot…’: Todd Phillips, Director of Joker 2, Discusses Lady Gaga’s Commitment to Character Compared to Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga are fully committed to their intense Joker characters. Gaga, 38, portrays Harley Quinn, also known as Harleen Lee Quinzel, a devoted inmate in Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to 2019’s hit film Joker.
Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck, on death row and engaged in a dark romance with Lee. Fans are excited to see Phoenix and Gaga bring their chemistry to the screen.
In an interview with Variety, director Todd Phillips shared that while both actors took their roles seriously, Gaga tended to stay in character more than Phoenix. Phoenix won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in the first film.
The director explained, “I don’t even really know what Method means. Does he take it seriously? Does she take it seriously? Hell yeah. But he doesn’t stay in character 24 hours a day. With her, I’d say she does a lot more of that than he does.” Phillips emphasized that as a director, he supports whatever method gets the actors to the required emotional place.
Joker follows Arthur’s transformation from a struggling comedian in Gotham City to a menacing figure after losing faith. The movie shows him conversing with a social worker while imprisoned at Arkham Asylum.
While the plot of Joker 2 remains a mystery, the first trailer hints at Arthur and Harley’s initial meeting in Arkham Asylum. However, in this version, Harley is not Arthur’s psychiatrist but a fellow inmate.
The sequel is said to focus on the aftermath of Joker’s ruthless murder of Murray Franklin, a beloved talk show host in Gotham City. The 2019 film Joker grossed $1 billion globally.
Joker: Folie à Deux will hit theaters on October 4.
ALSO READ: ‘They Always Look Out For Me’: Adam Sandler Says His Daughters Encourage Him To Take Better Care Of His Health