Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix Earn Venice Standing Ovation for ‘Joker 2’

Girl Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix soaked up the applause as Todd Phillips’ villainous musical sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux” earned an 11-minute standing ovation on the Venice Movie Pageant on Wednesday night time.

Earlier than the premiere, Phoenix confirmed up early and generously labored the carpet, taking selfies with followers. Phillips requested a visitor to borrow her paper fan to fan himself and hold cool within the sizzling temperatures. Gaga arrived to chants of her identify because the paparazzi created one of many largest frenzies of this yr’s competition, with photographers tripping over one another on the carpet to get a shot of the star. One fan with pink hair held up an indication that learn, “Gaga I simply wanna maintain your maintain for some time.” The Harley Quinn star wanted assist maneuvering in her costume as a handler took her hand to followers and signed an extended line of autographs. The premiere additionally included large names like CAA CEO Bryan Lourd and Warner Bros. Footage CEO Mike De Luca in attendance.

As Gaga made her means down the steps from the balcony seat the place she watched the film, she signed autographs for followers — nearly inflicting a stampede because the Italian Little Monsters referred to as out, “Gaga, please! Gag,a please!” within the hopes of getting a selfie.

The adulation was an excessive amount of for Phoenix, who left the theater after 9 minutes of clapping. He and Gaga have been in deep dialog throughout the standing ovation, seemingly discussing the film. Gaga additionally hugged her fiance, Michael Polansky, twice throughout the celebration.

“Folie à Deux” is the follow-up to Phillips’ 2019 movie “Joker,” which additionally premiered at Venice and gained the fest’s prestigious Golden Lion. It went on to change into the sixth-highest grossing movie of the yr and gained the Academy Awards for finest actor for Phoenix’s efficiency and unique rating for Hildur Guðnadóttir. It acquired a complete of 11 Oscar nominations, together with for finest image, turning into the primary DC Comics movie to take action.

Going down two years after the occasions of “Joker,” “Folie à Deux” provides star energy with the addition of Girl Gaga to the forged and intrigue with a brand-new musical ingredient. Based on its official synopsis, Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, “now a affected person at Arkham State Hospital, falls in love with music therapist Lee (Gaga). Because the duo experiences musical insanity via their shared delusions, Arthur’s followers begin a motion to liberate him.”

In a latest cowl story with Selection, Phillips detailed his motivations for making the sequel, as “Joker” was initially meant to be a standalone movie.

“Why do one thing if it doesn’t scare the shit out of you?” Phillips asks. “I’m hooked on danger. I imply, it retains you up at night time. It makes your hair fall out. But it surely’s the sweat that retains you going.”

Gaga final got here to the Venice Movie Pageant in 2018 with Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” which acquired an eight-minute standing ovation, kicking off its award marketing campaign.

“Joker 2” additionally stars Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz, and is about to premiere in theaters on Oct. 4 from Warner Bros.