‘Joker: Folie À Deux’ casting director surprised Lady Gaga could “keep up” with Joaquin Phoenix

The casting director for Joker: Folie À Deux says it wasn’t her idea to put Lady Gaga in the film, but now she sees why director Todd Phillips chose her for the role.

According to Deadline, while speaking at a film festival in the Czech Republic, Francine Maisler said she’d recently seen a cut of the film and raved about Gaga’s performance. “She’s so good in it, you guys.  She’s going to blow your mind,” Maisler told the crowd. “I didn’t suggest Lady Gaga. It wasn’t my idea. That was Todd Phillips, before me. But I will tell you, she’s really surprising — and really good.”

Maisler went on to say that she was “really surprised” that Gaga was able to hold her own against the movie’s Oscar-winning star, Joaquin Phoenix.

“I mean, we all knew what she could do in A Star Is Born, but I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s kind of in her wheelhouse.’ Something she could do and just be real. But this… Man, she’s good,” Maisler said. “Joaquin blows your mind, but that she could keep up with him, and be real — and not just wiped off the screen by what that role is and what the performance is — shows she’s good.”

Joker: Folie À Deux is set to hit theaters on October 4, and it is rumored to be debuting at the Venice Film Festival in August. It’s also said to contain numerous musical numbers: According to one report, Gaga recorded over 20 songs for the film.