Gaga over Lady Gaga: Under the skin of the pop provocateur

Gaga: Five Foot Two, a new Netflix original documentary, offers a look at the vulnerable side of a pop star’s life, following Lady Gaga through a pivotal period in her career. We caught the superstar with filmmaker Chris Moukarbel in an exclusive interaction on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival. 

Outlandish costumes, over-the-top performances and an outrageous persona, onstage and in real life — these are things that American singer, songwriter and actress Lady Gaga is recognised for, among her fans. Born as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in New York, in 1986, Lady Gaga burst onto the scene barely nine years ago and quickly became a pop provocateur and icon, seemingly living an exceptionally charmed life.

But there were many dark episodes in there as well — of confronting pain, anxieties and insecurities. Gaga: Five Foot Two, a new Netflix original documentary by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Moukarbel (Banksy Does New York, Me at the Zoo), now offers “unfiltered, behind-the-scenes access” to a year in the life of the artiste, who is also a philanthropist, and a gay rights advocate.

The film follows the making of her fifth studio album, Joanne, while also looking at her experiences with her entourage, and fans, and her struggle with chronic pain caused by the ailment of fibromyalgia (chronic muscle pain), apart from intimate glimpses at her home life — attending a family christening, visiting her grandmother or cooking and playing with her dogs at home.

In one segment, the film shows her on a visit to the doctor, where she curls up on a couch and breaks down, crying in agony. The artiste later took to Instagram holding a rosary, apologising to fans for having to postpone performances. There’s also a discussion about her feud with singer Madonna.

The biggest success of the film is in the manner that it shows viewers how all of these experiences contribute to Gaga’s music and art — and how, in just a few years, the five-foot-two performer has become a relatable and much-loved global phenomenon.

At the recent Toronto International Film Festival, Lady Gaga surprised the audience with a performance of the song Bad Romance before the special screening at the Princess of Wales Theater in Toronto, Canada. Excerpts from an exclusive interaction on the sidelines of the festival — 

It’s an interesting time in your life that you’re documenting.
Lady Gaga: It’s a wonderful time and a very real time. It has been almost 10 years since all this started, and I was making music long before. So it’s incredible to be doing this, and I’m very grateful to have such talented people in my life who are interested in telling the tale behind me.

Why is it the right time to tell the story now? 
Chris Moukarbel: I think it’s just circumstances. I never got the impression from her that she 
needed a documentary. In fact, she was kind of a reluctant participant. It’s a difficult thing to let somebody into your life to radio out pictures of what it's like to be you. It happened slowly and organically. At any point she could have pulled the plug and said, I don’t want to do this, but she allowed it to happen, till we had a film that I’m really proud of, and grateful for.

What gave you the sense that this is the right thing to do now?
LG: It was the reaction of my friends and family, who saw it after the first few rounds of editing — they told me it was beautiful. My best friends, who are with me on the road, watched it. They loved it, my sister loved it. I guess that’s all you can really ask for and go by. The truth is that I love a great artistic creative experience and a part of that sometimes, when you are the subject, is honouring — that’s what you are and it’s not your thing to control. This film is not my vision, this is Chris’ vision, I’m just a part to this because it’s my life and I told him he could come in and film. 

Were you comfortable getting to that place with him — what was that like?
LG: I think, the comfortable aspect came because he was so respectful of my space, even when there were private moments. I really did know he was there, and I don’t know for sure if I was able to do that if he hadn’t had that wonderful demeanour with all of us. He really became part of our family and yet I don’t really know him very closely as a friend. I know him as a filmmaker who was documenting my life. 

There’s a balance you’re trying to strike, isn’t it?
CM: Yeah, to be able to be familiar and comfortable, and not overstep... and not become too familiar 
or she would become overly aware of my camera, that was something that was very important. Trying to get to the heart of the story, even though you didn’t notice him, you must be aware that something was going on.
LG: On the first day, I was like [laughs] “Are you sure you wanna be here? Uhh... this is so boring”. I was aware of him for maybe a moment, but he very quickly got to know the way that I am. Having cameras in your face a lot, it is difficult, and so on top of that, why would I wanna have one following me all the time, every single day? Unless it was somebody I was really excited to see artistically, and how he viewed my life.

What would you have shut off, in the course of filming? There are a lot of really raw moments in here. 
LG: Well, quite simply, if I was in a state of mind or place, in that moment when I just didn’t want a camera in my face — and I was very aware of him there — I’d say that would be the main reason, that I was overwhelmed and needed space.

Was it a challenging time?
LG: Yes, that’s not to say there were no extreme highs, and my life has completely changed in the most wonderful way — that I would not take back, but for sure, it also included the lowest lows.

There’s an interesting balance of exploring your family, the story of Joanne, going to record stores, and even of people criticising the album. Was it a difficult time to go through?
LG: It’s always personal when you put something into the world, because it’s your creation and you want people to love it, as a gift — like, I made this for you, I love you, I want to entertain you — that’s always my goal when I’m creating things. You always want as many people to love it, but I wouldn’t say it was because of what that means for me, it’s more about my true passion as an entertainer. I truly love to make people happy through what I do.

When it landed, it was pretty special. If you hear anything negative, how do you respond to that?
LG: Well, it always lands. There are always some people who don’t like what you do, and I’m not in the business of trying to make you all like me. I’m in the business of creating fantasies and music and theatre and art that inspires people hopefully, and the most important thing to me in my career has always been spreading a positive message — I’d say that’s my most favourite thing. When I heard what this film is about, it’s that there is a positive message behind it, for me as a woman, and I’m happy to show that. I think it’s important for artistes, not just for me.

Is it even more important now, when it’s a challenging time politically and socially?
LG: Yes, but I don’t think necessarily that this film is meant to be a political or social statement about what’s happening in the world right now. 
CM: I think you show so much humanity in this film, and because so many people look to you for direction, and it’s just the fact that it’s about people all over the world. Things you never took for granted — your position on the platform — it comes out in your music, and in your interviews. But this was a way to kind of consolidate a lot of that vision, and let people have access to you as a person. And I think, in a lot of ways, people will learn from it.

There’s a fair deal of empowerment in it, that’s a really important part.
CM: She’s very aware of her role in her platform and how young women and girls in particular see her — she was aware of that throughout. Even in the making of the film, not saying she was doing anything in any particular way, but I could see that she knows that power and the influence and so, again for young women and girls, there’s a lot of that and just a story of what it means to be powerful and vulnerable and be generous.
LG: That’s important, to touch on that idea of vulnerability. The most important thing to me is that this film didn’t come across like a big commercial for me, of everybody seeing how perfect I am, how perfect my career is and how perfect every little thing is that I do and touch. That is simply not true, and that would be not in line with everything that I am as an artist. I think the most important thing that you can be is authentic, and the moments here were all authentic.

There’s also this great moment where you talk about the Madonna situation, and I was like, “They put that in!” You probably don't know it’s in there...
LG: Oh I know it’s in there! Just not sure what it’s gonna sound like…
CM: I loved that moment as it was happening, and I wasn’t even sure whether or not it would make it into the film. For me, it felt like it was a way for people to really understand what kind of woman she is because of the position she took. And it was so measured and thoughtful, and people would binge on it as something that’s kinda juicy, but really it’s not, it’s about morality. There’s a scene in the film addressing the Madonna situation and Lady Gaga just says, “I’m from old-time New York. If I had a problem with somebody I’d tell it to their face.” It was really a human, raw moment.

Gaga: Five Foot Two released on Netflix worldwide on September 22.