‘Joker 2’ Axed Scene of Lady Gaga’s Lee Kissing a Woman at the Courthouse Because ‘It Had Dialogue in It’ and ‘Got in the Way’ of a Music Moment
Many fans of Lady Gaga have expressed disappointment on social media following the release of “Joker: Folie à Deux” as it appears a few scenes Gaga shot for the film did not end up making it into the final theatrical cut. One axed moment was improvised during filming and depicted Gaga’s Lee kissing another woman while entering the courthouse to attend Arthur Fleck’s murder trial. Photos of the kiss were taken by paparazzi and spread online during the filming of the “Joker” sequel.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” director Todd Phillips told Entertainment Weekly that he had to cut the scene of Lee kissing a woman outside of the courthouse because it distracted from the musicality of the sequence. Lee is doing a song and dance number as she walks up the courthouse steps, so the kissing moment would’ve required the music to be disrupted by dialogue.
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“It had dialogue in it, and, all of a sudden, I wanted it to be more of a music and vibe moment,” Phillips said of cutting the moment. “For that moment to have played, it needed dialogue behind it. Meaning, the woman said something, and then Gaga stopped and did this thing, and it just kind of got in the way of the moment.”
Gaga fans shared set videos from “Joker 2” on social media during the film’s opening weekend to show scenes featuring the Grammy and Oscar winner that did not make it into the final cut. One elaborate musical sequence appeared to feature Lee handing Arthur over to the Gotham police, although that also did not make into the final cut.
Regardless of what Phillips had to cut from Lady Gaga’s scenes in the film, he told EW that she was the best collaborator with Joaquin Phoenix during the making of the sequel. Especially when it came time to singing their musical duets.
“The truth is, they gave each other pointers. He’d give her pointers about acting; she’s been in movies, but he’s Joaquin Phoenix. She gave him tips about music because she’s Lady Gaga,” Phillips said. “It’s what movies should be: a giant collaboration…her notes would be a little more specific because it’s like, you’re not hitting the note there. It’s different. There’s less room for interpretation.”
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is now playing in theaters nationwide from Warner Bros.
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