Zazie Beetz Praises 'Joker' Sequel Costar Lady Gaga as 'Very Grounded' on Set: 'She’s Just Stefani'

Lady Gaga's Joker: Folie à Deux costar Zazie Beetz is dishing on what it was like working with the performer on the upcoming musical sequel film, in which Gaga plays Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix's titular villain.

“She’s super warm and kind,” said Beetz, 32, of Gaga (real name: Stefani Germanotta), 37, in a conversation with Variety Monday at a Chanel dinner during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

“I felt very welcome with her on set," Beetz added. "She was doing her own character work and stuff, but she’s a very grounded person. She’s just Stefani.”

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As for the film itself, for which Todd Phillips returns as director, "I think people will be surprised," the Atlanta actress told Variety. "I don’t think it’s going to be what they expect, around it being musical."

Added Beetz, who reprises her role as Sophie Dumond in the movie, "We all sort of express musically and dancing in our lives day-to-day. I think it’s going to work really well."

Following the original 2019 movie's success, which included setting global box-office records and receiving two Oscar wins, a follow-up film was officially confirmed in June 2022.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to share Gaga's casting news, reporting that Harley (a.k.a. Dr. Harleen Quinzel) would exist "in a different DC universe" than the one played by Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad (2016), Birds of Prey (2020) and The Suicide Squad (2020).

Both Gaga and director Phillips, 52, shared images of the pop-star-turned-actress and Phoenix, 48, on their respective Instagram pages back in May as they both confirmed that principal production had wrapped on the upcoming sequel to Joker.

"That's a wrap. Thanks to these two (+ the entire cast) and the BEST crew that the film industry has to offer. From top to bottom," Phillips wrote in a caption to the two photos. One image shows Gaga staring into the camera while wearing light clown makeup; another features Phoenix's Arthur Fleck / Joker in full makeup and costume, tilting his head to the right in a seated position.

"Gonna crawl into a cave now (edit room) and put it all together," the director added in his caption.

Gaga kept her message to fans eagerly anticipating the Joker sequel short, simply writing, "That's a wrap ❤️‍🔥 🎬🃏 X, Harleen."

Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled to be released in theaters on Oct. 4, 2024.