Lady Gaga’s performance as supervillain Harley Quinn in the upcoming Joker sequel surprised the crew during filming due to the fact that she was not the original pick for the part.
Joker: Folie á Deux casting director Francine Maisler revealed the Grammy winner, 38, was not her first choice for the role during a panel at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on Friday, July 5.
Director Todd Phillips was the one who pushed for Gaga to lead the film alongside costar Joaquin Phoenix.
“She’s so good in it, you guys. She’s going to blow your mind,” Maisler said. “I didn’t suggest Lady Gaga.”
Maisler went on: “It wasn’t my idea. That was Todd Phillips, before me. But I will tell you, she’s really surprising — and really good. I saw it and I was really surprised. I mean, we all knew what she could do in A Star Is Born, but I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s kind of in her wheelhouse.’ Something she could do and just be real. But this … man, she’s good.”
“Joaquin blows your mind, but that she could keep up with him, and be real — and not just wiped off the screen by what that role is and what the performance is — shows she’s good,” she gushed.
Phoenix, 49, stars as Arthur Fleck, aka the titular Joker, and the forthcoming DC Comics thriller is set to be released on October 4. He even won the Best Actor award at the 2020 Oscars for his turn as the delusional mastermind and one of Batman’s sworn enemies.
Due to Gaga’s involvement and her penchant for music, the new film will include many cover songs for the soundtrack.
The movie will be a “jukebox musical,” according to Variety, and will have at least 15 “very well-known” tunes and even some original pieces of music.
Insiders told the outlet in March that it is still unknown who will write the new tracks or sing the covers, however, the song “That’s Entertainment” from the 1953 musical The Band Wagon, will be featured.
The R-rated musical’s title, Folie à Deux, is a French term that translates to “madness for two.” Gaga’s Harley and Phoenix’s Joker fall in love and have a descent into madness together while they are imprisoned at the Arkham State Hospital in Gotham City.
Supporting Gaga and Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux will be an ensemble cast, including Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz. In addition to more stars, the sequel has a bigger budget at $200 million while its 2019 predecessor had a measly $60 million price tag.
