(CNN) – With the release of “Joker: Folie à Deux” this Friday, Lady Gaga introduces audiences to Lee Quinzel, her version of the Joker’s love interest Harley Quinn from the DC comics.
In an interview with CNN, Gaga explained how much she had to change her typical acting approach for the film, which does double duty as a somewhat stripped-down musical and as a dark love story between the Joker, aka Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). , and Gaga’s character.
“The whole show, all the bravery of being on stage, all the things that I do as Gaga that come naturally to me, I tried to completely get rid of those things,” said Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta.
The 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer, who also won an Oscar for her original song “Shallow” from the 2018 film “A Star is Born,” even unlearned singing techniques for her latest role.
“I tried to breathe incorrectly,” he shared, later adding that “I tried not to do any vocal placement in my throat the way I would when I’m on stage.”
The result is a character with a breathy, understated singing technique that matches Phoenix’s similar singing style in their duets. They synchronize in other ways as well, as she is quite comfortable with violence and arson alongside the sometimes homicidal Joker, as seen in the film.
“Folie à Deux” is the sequel to 2019’s “Joker,” which saw Phoenix take home the Oscar for best actor. The film grossed more than US$ 1 billion at the global box office, which in part paved the way for this somewhat unlikely sequel.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” hits theaters this Friday. It is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, which like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
