Zazie Beetz Opens Up About Working with Lady Gaga in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: ‘She’s Just Stefani’

Samantha Bergeson
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“Joker: Folie à Deux” promises to be a bigger, crazier, and much more musical addition to the “Joker” universe — but Lady Gaga did her best to stay grounded while transforming into the unhinged psychiatrist Harley Quinn. Her co-star Zazie Beetz has nothing but good things to say about Gaga’s performance in Todd Phillips’ follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2019 film.

“She’s super warm and kind,” Beetz told Variety of Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta. “I felt very welcome with her on set. She was doing her own character work and stuff, but she’s a very grounded person. She’s just Stefani.”

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Beetz teased that fans will be “surprised” at how the musical sequel unfolds.

“I don’t think it’s going to be what they expect, around it being musical,” the “Atlanta” actress said. “We all sort of express musically and dancing in our lives day-to-day. I think it’s going to work really well.”

“Joker: Folie à Deux” sees Joaquin Phoenix reprising his Oscar-winning role as tortured loner-turned-supervillain Arthur Fleck. Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, and Harry Lawtey round out the cast. The film is rumored to primarily take place in Arkham Asylum, the famous psychiatric institute that houses villains in the “Batman” comic books. The film is set for an October 4, 2024 release.

Lady Gaga’s dramatic acting chops are unimpeachable at this point, and she’s had several opportunities to fine-tune her process. The Academy Award winner previously stayed in character for her roles in “A Star Is Born” and “House of Gucci.”

“I would actually say playing a character for me is like living one long song, one long song that lasts for months,” Gaga said in 2022. “For ‘A Star Is Born,’ it was years for me. When I’m in character, I don’t pretend we’re not filming. I get people who are like, ‘Why did you keep your accent the whole time?’ Can you imagine going in and out of that shit all the time, and I would only get three takes? I had to be ready.”

For all the details on “Joker: Folie à Deux,” click here.

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