Joker 2, Evil Takes Over with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix
For many fans, it was one of the most anticipated moments of the year, akin to Christmas or the arrival of summer. ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the sequel to the 2019 Golden Lion winner, had been building up the tension for the past months, captivating the attention of both the public and industry insiders. The day of the presentation arrived at last, heralded by Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, who landed like aliens at the Venice Film Festival.
The two stars, accompanied by director Todd Phillips, strutted down the red carpet, generously posing for the clicks of the army of photographers. The pop star, making her debut in competition at the Lido, sported a 1950s black velvet Dior gown, a fascinator hat, vertiginous Christian Louboutin pumps, and her new boyfriend, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Polansky. Meanwhile, Joaquin, more understated, opted for the classic black tuxedo with a bow tie on a white shirt and sunglasses.
Hosting the event were the festival director Alberto Barbera and the president of the Biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. Then there was a substantial number of stars: Isabelle Huppert, Mădălina Ghenea, Iris Law, Margherita Buy, Zhang Ziyi, Aliia Roza, Poppy Delevingne, and the festival’s godmother, Sveva Alviti.
Moving on to the film. The story picks up where the first chapter left off. Lady Gaga is the criminal Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. She is an ardent fan of Joker, who is now in prison. And with him begins a turbulent – to use an understatement – love story that will obviously lead to nothing good. The rest? Don’t worry, no spoilers here on Say Who: go see the film in theatres!
Photo: Elisa Trento
Text: Germano D’Acquisto
