Lady Gaga Matches Her Method Makeup to a Dramatic Celine Gown at the 'Joker: Folie à Deux' London Premiere
She's channeling Harley Quinn with crystal tears and red-black hair.


Forget method dressing on the red carpet. Lady Gaga just invented a step-and-repeat category all her own at the London premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux: method makeup.
Less than 24 hours after announcing a concept album based off her character, DC Comics villainess Harley Quinn, Lady Gaga arrived at the Sept. 25 Joker premiere channeling her onscreen alter-ego from head to toe. The references started with her plunging red Celine gown and Tiffany & Co. diamonds—allusions to Harley Quinn's signature color—styled by Sandra Amador and Tom Eerebout. Where other celebrities would have let the resemblance end there, Gaga took things a bottle of hair dye and few swipes of turquoise eyeshadow further.
Makeup artist Sarah Tanno assembled a face beat that had Gaga looking like she could perform at an haute couture circus (or just a reprise of her famous MTV VMAs "Paparazzi" performance). In a reference to the rain- and tear-streaked makeup Gaga can be seen wearing throughout Joker's gritty trailer, she contrasted bright, matte turquoise eyeshadow with a cat-eye sharp enough to kill a man. Underneath her right eye, Tanno intentionally smudged her eyeliner across her lower lid—and finished it with a crystal-studded teardrop.
Lady Gaga paid homage to her Joker: Folie à Deux character, Harley Quinn, with a red dress by Celine, a layered dye job, and an elegant twist on clown makeup.
The usually-blonde performer also committed to a hair change for the red carpet. Hairstylist and wig artist Frederic Aspiras gave Gaga a blunt bob with fringe that dusted the top of her newly-bleached eyebrows. Said bob was dyed a deep, burgundy red with dark brunette layers beneath it—like Harley-slash-Gaga had dumped a bottle of wine on her head. (That's very much in line with Harley Quinn's antics, for what it's worth.)
Gaga's turquoise eyeshadow popped against the dramatic proportions of her Celine gown.
Gaga is the latest celebrity to stay in character for months after the director calls "Cut!" Zendaya had her tennis ball chartreuses and Wimbledon whites to promote Challengers; while Margot Robbie had a dream house full of archival pink dresses to channel Barbie. Even Daisy Edgar-Jones tipped her ten-gallon hat to Twisters with windswept chiffon dresses. But Lady Gaga's method makeup is the biggest commitment I've seen yet to taking a character from the screen to the red carpet—and a major swerve from the hats, LBDs, and classic trousers she'd previously worn to promote Joker. At this point in the tour, no one expected Lady Gaga to make such a big Harley Quinn reference; so maybe the joke was on us.
Shop Makeup Inspired by Lady Gaga's Premiere Beauty
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire. She is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, and emerging brands. In 8+ years as a journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from profiles on insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking brand collaboration news. She covers events like the Met Gala every year, and gets exclusive insight into red carpet looks through her column, The Close-Up.
Previously, Halie reported at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College.
-
Buckingham Palace Releases Photo of Queen Camilla's New Puppy
The Queen is set to pay tribute to her beloved dog Beth, who died in 2024.
-
Kate Middleton "Rewrote the Rulebook" After Cancer Diagnosis
"Kate may look like a fragile wallflower, but [she] is made of tough stuff."
-
Jennifer Lawrence Takes a $4,500 Dior Bag to Cannes
Everyone from Taylor Swift to Jennifer Lopez loves the iconic handbag.
-
Sparks Are Flying Between Zoë Kravitz's Windswept Updo and Soft Grunge Makeup for Saint Laurent
She captivated the front row.
-
Lady Gaga Ditches Her Jellyfish Cut for the Chicest French Girl Bob
The Little Monsters approve.
-
Jenna Ortega Modernizes the Concealer Lips Trend for the 2025 Oscars After-Party
The star brought early aughts beauty nostalgia to the 2025 Oscars after-party.
-
Sabrina Carpenter's New Prada Mascara Campaign Is Accidentally 'Severance'-Coded
The pop star's latest campaign feels like something straight out of Lumon Industries.
-
Keke Palmer Revives the Copper Hair Trend With Long Mermaid Waves
This spicy reddish-brown hair trend was made for the beloved actor.
-
Millie Bobby Brown's Messy Blonde Beehive Is So Pamela Anderson-Coded
The platinum blonde star brought '90s bedhead glamour to the red carpet premiere of 'The Electric State.'
-
So, Is the $685 SKORR Glow Laser Julianne Moore’s Secret to Flawless Skin?
If this mysterious handheld device is good enough for the Oscar winner, it's good enough for me.
-
Hailey Bieber Styles Her Sugar Cookie Pedicure With Sheer Tights and Strappy Lace-Up Sandals
The beauty founder is tapping back into a milky white nail trend.