Folie à Deux’ director reveals why he cut scene of Lady Gaga kissing woman

Papa, papa-razzi photos from the Joker: Folie à Deux set showed Lady Gaga’s poker face locking lips with another woman while filming a key scene from the musical thriller — but the moment didn’t make it into the final cut. Now, with the film in theaters, director Todd Phillips reveals to Entertainment Weekly why he chose to nix the exchange from the film.

The scene in question would’ve fallen just before one of Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) court appearances. The sequel picks up with Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent prosecuting Fleck for the crimes he committed in the 2019 original. When he’s not in court, Fleck remains locked up at Arkham State Hospital, where he develops a blossoming romance with Lee (Gaga), a fellow patient. As it plays in the finished version, Lee, having been released from Arkham, goes to the courthouse to support Arthur. Walking up the stairs, she does a soft song and dance number before entering the building. But, as originally shot, Lee passes a group of protestors on the steps and plants a kiss on a woman in the crowd.

“It had dialogue in it, and, all of a sudden, I wanted it to be more of a music and vibe moment,” Phillips tells Entertainment Weekly. “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.”

Phillips recalls Gaga improvising the kiss. EW has reached out to representatives for Gaga for confirmation.

The filmmaker also remembers how nervous Phoenix was to sing live on set with his Academy Award- and Grammy-winning costar for Folie à Deux‘s whimsical musical sequences. Phillips previously told EW that Phoenix was “sick every day” over nailing the performances and choreography in the film and that he and Gaga traded notes on each other’s respective crafts.

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“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. It’s what movies should be: a giant collaboration,” Phillips said, adding that Phoenix’s notes to Gaga were far less obvious and that he was “really generous” with her in scenes, whereas Gaga’s “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.