Why Lady Gaga Asked Joker Crew to Call Her This Fake Name on Set

Lady Gaga preferred the Joker: Folie à Deux crew to remember her this way—as Lee.

In fact, the film's cinematographer Lawrence Sher recently shared that he had hiccups interacting with Gaga, whose birth name is Stefani Germanotta, until he adopted the moniker.

"I didn't know Stefani at all," Sher told the Trenches Talk podcast in a July 18 episode. "Strangely, I felt like I never even met her, even during the makeup/hair tests. Maybe it was my philosophy of not trying to get in their space. And then I remember for a week, being like, 'God, I feel like we are disconnecting. Not even connecting. We are like on opposites.' And I would say to my crew, 'Jesus, I can't crack it. She either hates me or we hate each other. There's something weird going on here.'"

Sher recalled being unable form a bond with Gaga—who stars as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix's titular Joker—until he was informed of the preference to be called Lee, which seems to be a nickname for her character.

"I barely said anything, except I would say, 'Stefani, this is where your second team was,' minor little things, and then the AD at one point said, 'Oh you know, Stef would like if you just called her Lee on set,'" Sher recalled, "And I was like, 100 percent. The next thing I said was something 'Lee,' and it was like everything changed."

From there on out, the dynamic shifted.

"It was like our whole connection changed," Sher said. "I was like, alright, cool. That's all I needed to know, and that changed everything. And then obviously, we made the rest of the movie, and it was much more of a connection that just grew over this point of the movie. By the end, I think we felt connected in the sense of like, we've done this thing together that was joyous and and fulfilling."

Last month, Mother Monster reflected on the Joker sequel filming process, noting she "prepared for months developing my character for Joker" and spent months filming Joker during "a very introspective time."

"I can say for the first time in many years that my love of making art, music, fashion, and supporting community has never been more fulfilling," she continued in a lengthy post. "I may not be sharing as much of myself online as I have in the past, but I hope you know this time to myself has been extremely healing and recharging for my heart, mind, body, and creativity—to create within myself and to have a personal life that's just for me."

And while we wait to see Gaga's transformation into the Clown Princess of Crime, keep scrolling to see all of her best looks throughout the years.

Gaga arrives to sing the National Anthem at the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The A Star Is Born actress continues to look like a true Hollywood star off-screen.

This Barbie wants to party! Gaga arrived to the Met Gala in not one - but four different outfits. This pink one is screams HOT. 

Lady Gaga sparkled in a sequin Celine dress at the 2019 Grammys.

The "Shallow" performer arrived to the 91st Oscars Nominees Luncheon in a high-neck Louis Vuitton dress.

The triple threat was a showstopper in a white Dior Haute Couture gown at 2019 SAG Awards.

The "Poker Face" singer made her Calvin Klein dress her own by pairing it with Giuseppe Zanotti lace-up boots at the 2019 Critics' Choice Awards. 

At the 2019 National Board of Review Gala, Lady Gaga stunned in a black Ralph Lauren black tuxedo gown.

The Golden Globe winner was a vision in a powder blue Valentino gown at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards.

At the Los Angeles premiere of A Star Is Born, the Grammy winner stunned in a metallic silver Givenchy Haute Couture gown.

The "Telephone" singer proved that she is not afraid to take a fashion risk when she wore a dramatic Alexander McQueen dress at the London premiere of A Star Is Born.

The SAG Award winning actress made a statement in an oversized Marc Jacobs suit to speak the Elle's Women in Hollywood event in 2018.

The engaged star stunned in a velvet frock at the Star Is Born press conference at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival.

The Lady Gaga Enigma performer shined in a white midi dress which she paired with black heels at the 2018 Venice Film Festival.

The New York native wowed in a feathered Valentino Couture frock at the 2018 Venice Film Festival premiere of A Star Is Born.

There was no doubt that the Mother Monster knows how to make an entrance when she arrived in a custom Armani Privé gown at the 2018 Grammys.

The "Applesauce" songwriter had a true rock star moment on the red carpet at the 2017 Grammys.

Before taking the stage at the 2016 Victoria Secret Fashion Show, Lady Gaga stopped for photographers.

The "Shallow" singer struck a pose in floor-length black gown at the 2016 British Fashion Awards.

The fashionista rocked a futuristic look on the red carpet inspired by the 2016 Met Gala's theme, "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology".

Lady Gaga dazzled in a strapless white Brandon Maxwell dress at the 2016 Academy Awards.

The MTV Video Music Awards winner struck a pose in a backless nude gown at the 2016 Oscar Nominees Luncheon.

The "Just Dance" performer showed off her artist side in a brightly colored ensemble at the 2016 Grammys.

The LGBTQ advocate looked like a true Hollywood starlet in a black off the shoulder gown at the 2016 Golden Globe Awards.

Lady Gaga received lots of attention for her menswear-inspired look by Brandon Maxwell at the 2016 American Music Awards.

The American Horror Story actress brought old Hollywood glamour to the 2015 Emmys in a black one-shouldered Brandon Maxwell stunner.

Red hot! The 32-year-old performer rocked the 2015 British Fashion Awards in sequined Tom Ford dress with a dramatic thigh-high split.

The Star Is Born actress made a statement on the red carpet by pairing a beautiful Azzedine Alaia gown with red leather gloves at the 2015 Oscars.

Talk about a show stopper! Lady Gaga graced the 2015 Met Gala red carpet in a kimono-style dress adorned with feathers in honor of that year's exhibition, "China: Through the Looking Glass."

The "Bad Romance" performer brought the drama in a cleavage-baring Brandon Maxwell frock before taking the stage with Tony Bennett at the 2015 Grammys.