Lady Gaga just revealed the inspiration behind her character in Joker: Folie à Deux.

In an exclusive conversation with Empire, the film’s director, Todd Phillips, told the outlet that Gaga’s character, of Harley Quinn, was inspired by the followers of cult leader, Charles Manson.

“While there are some things that people would find familiar in her, it’s really Gaga’s own interpretation, and Scott [Silver] and I’s interpretation,” Phillips told the outlet.

He continued, “She became the way how Manson had girls that idolized him. The way that sometimes these [convicted murderers] have people that look up to them.”

For the unversed, Charles Manson was an incarcerated and convicted criminal whose followers committed many high-profile and brutal murders back in the 1960s. Their most renowned victim was actress Sharon Tate.

Additionally, Lady Gaga herself also revealed insights of portraying her character in the upcoming film, stating how she opted for method acting for the role.

“People know me by my stage name, Lady Gaga, right?” Gaga said adding, “That’s me as that performer, but that is not what this movie is; I’m playing a character. So, I worked a lot on the way that I sang to come from Lee, and to not come from me as a performer.”