Maybe it’s because she performs under an assumed name, or the fact that she’s an Artist with a capital A, but Lady Gaga is one of those celebrities that we don’t really feel like we ‘know’ much about – until the release of her upcoming Netflix documentary, Lady Gaga Five Foot Two, that is.
Unlike some of her contemporaries like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, her music more often than not doesn’t seem to directly draw on her life experiences (a notable exception is Til It Happen To You, which was written about her experience of sexual assault) and her love life has remained almost entirely private. What she has decided to share has been in aid of higher goals – whether it’s the aforementioned sexual assault, which she wrote about for the college rape documentary film The Hunting Ground, or sharing details of her difficult childhood to promote more openness around our feelings for her Born This Way Foundation’s ‘The Emotion Revolution’ project.
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Not to say her life doesn’t hold interest; in many ways, Gaga is more fascinating because of what we don’t know about her, and this is particularly true now that she’s become a celebrated actress, as well as a singer.
So, what can we expect from her new behind-the-scenes documentary? We’ve done some digging…
What’s Lady Gaga’s New Netflix Show About?
In a similar vein to other pop star documentaries from the last few years – see Katy Perry’s Part of Me and One Direction’s The Inside Story – Lady Gaga Five Feet Two sees filmmaker Chris Moukarbel follow the singer for a year as she finishes filming American Horror Story and deals with chronic pain on set, prepares to release her fifth studio album Joanne and perform at the half-time show at the Super Bowl. ‘I had a rare opportunity to create a portrait of an artist with such an open heart and mind,’ he said. ‘I feel really lucky that Gaga trusted me and my vision.’
Several clips from the film have already been released, with one showing Gaga preparing for an operation and another seeing her breaking down over her feelings of loneliness being in the public eye. ‘I'm alone, every night, and all these people will leave. They will leave and I'll be home alone. I go from everyone touching me all day, and talking at me all day, to total silence.’
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the singer explained: ‘[You will see] a woman who’s an artist, creates all day, thinks all day, and also has the experiences [as] both an artist and a celebrity. Those two things collide for me, and you’ll see how they’re conflicted. I am 100 percent at my lowest common denominator. Nobody [is] explaining what I am or putting a label on me as a female artist in this film. That’s what this documentary is about.’
Sounds like we can expect it to be a pretty revealing exploration of one of the most fascinating stars of the past decade.
Who Will Be In Lady Gaga Five Foot Two?
Aside from Gaga herself, the only other major celebrities involved are Florence Welch and Mark Ronson, while Gaga’s father Joe Germanotta and manager Bobby Campbell feature heavily.
Does It Feature Interviews?
No, the film was shore in vérité style, with participants not being interviewed or asked to make observations about Gaga’s life. Instead, it follows her around day-to-day, capturing small and big moments, to give a more authentic narrative.
How Can I Watch Lady Gaga Five Foot Two?
After premiering at Toronto Film Festival, the documentary will live on Netflix where you can watch it from 22 September from the comfort of your own home.
Is Lady Gaga Five Foot Two Based On A True Story?
Yep – it’s entirely non-fictional – it’s a fly-on-the-wall style documentary that follows the singer for a year. She even gets candid about her feelings, worries and hopes to the camera, and you see her without her stage costumes and makeup.
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