How extreme were the diets for Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga for Joker: Folie à Deux? Details explored

Theaters are buzzing for the release of Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the sequel to the 2019 hit. Directed by Todd Phillips, who also produced the film with Bradley Cooper, it’s set to premiere on October 4, 2024, and at the Venice Film Festival. Phoenix and Gaga have sparked conversations with their dramatic weight loss transformations for their roles, a key topic in their recent press interviews.

Speaking at a Venice press conference on September 4, 2024, Phoenix revisited his stringent diet regimen from the first film which saw him lose a staggering 52 pounds by subsisting mainly on lettuce and steamed vegetables. This time his preparation was compounded by intense dance rehearsals.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga who joins the sequel as a new character intertwined with Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck also lost weight for the movie. Addressing her transformation Phoenix expressed his admiration for Gaga’s dedication which he observed firsthand during their rehearsals.

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Joaquin Phoenix talks about his weight loss

Joaquin Phoenix (Image via Wireimage)

Speaking at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2024, Joaquin Phoenix shared insights into the demanding diet he endured to embody the Joker. This isn’t the first time Phoenix has sculpted his body through extreme measures as he previously lost 52 pounds for the original Joker film in 2019.

"This time, it felt a bit more complicated," Phoenix said noting the added pressure of extensive dance rehearsals not present in the previous film.

Despite the challenges, he reassured the audience that his methods were safe and supervised by medical professionals.

He also said “I’m now 49, I probably shouldn’t do this again. This is probably it for me."

Phoenix’s process involved eating very minimally focusing on foods like lettuce and steamed vegetables, a regime that he admits became an obsession. But he chose not to speak about the specifics of his diet this time around as he expresses a desire to steer the conversation away from what he perceives as an overemphasis on weight loss.

"I know I was responsible last time for talking about it, but it’s difficult to do so because it becomes your obsession," he explained.

Phoenix paints a picture of a physically and mentally taxing journey to fit into the gaunt silhouette of Gotham’s most notorious villain shedding light on the personal impact of such extreme physical transformations.

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Lady Gaga's weight loss for Joker: Folie à Deux

Lady Gaga (Photo by WireImage)

At the Venice Film Festival, Joaquin Phoenix shed light on the intense physical transformation his co-star Lady Gaga underwent for her role in Joker: Folie à Deux. Phoenix, who himself is no stranger to drastic physical changes for roles was vocal about the impressive efforts of Gaga, who was born Stefani Germanotta in preparing for her character.

"Stefani also lost a lot of weight," he revealed during the festival.

Phoenix recalled the moment he witnessed Gaga's transformation firsthand.

"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,” he told reporters.

Unlike Joaquin Phoenix, Gaga has not publicly detailed the specifics of her diet or regimen allowing her transformation to speak through her performance.

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Joker: Folie à Deux is set to premiere in theaters on October 4, 2024 in both the UK and the US.