Joker 2: Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga Explain Extreme Weight Loss for Roles

Joaquin Phoenix made headlines when he lost over 50 pounds for his Oscar-winning role in Joker. In Joker: Folie à Deux, Phoenix was not alone in his weight loss journey, as his co-star Lady Gaga also shed significant pounds to play Harleen Quinzel.

What Did Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga Say About Losing Weight for Joker 2?

While promoting Joker 2 at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, Phoenix discussed how the musical and dance elements added another challenge to his “difficult” weight loss journey for the sequel.

“I’m not going to talk through specifics of the diet, because I just think nobody wants to hear that. But this time, it felt a bit more complicated just because there was so much dance rehearsal that we were doing, which I didn’t have last time,” Phoenix said to reporters via Variety. “So it felt a bit more difficult, but it is safe. But you’re right, I’m now 49, I probably shouldn’t do this again. This is probably it for me.”

Phoenix then put the spotlight on Gaga, who mentioned her “impressive” transformation into Harley Quinn.

“Stefani [Lady Gaga] also lost a lot of weight,” Phoenix said. “I remember when I first met you in rehearsals and then you went away, and when you came back, you lost a lot of weight. It was really impressive.”

Gaga added, “I think we transformed into our characters over a period of time, and we continued to hone in every kind of detail.”

Phoenix’s gaunt figure was a big point of discussion during the Joker press tour. The Oscar winner does not want his physical transformation to dominate the headlines in the lead-up to the sequel.

“You end up talking about it, and then it just sounds like an actor going on and on about how much weight they lost,” Phoenix said. “By the end of that run, I was so sick of myself and angry at myself for making such a big deal about that part, because you just do what you’re f—ing supposed to do. So this time I was like, ‘I’m not going to do that.’”

Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4, 2024.

Dan Girolamo

Dan Girolamo is a multifaceted content creator with nearly a decade of experience in pop culture, sports, and entertainment. Dan has interviewed some of the top stars in the entertainment and sports industry, including Brendan Fraser, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Michael Bisping, and Machine Gun Kelly.