“Mr. Rogers was so clearly someone that stood for something,” Gaga said, later adding, “It’s kind of a special song to revisit at this time.”

Lady Gaga covers *Mister Rogers *song in emotional Super Bowl ad, imagines ‘what he would say right now’ in America

"Mr. Rogers was so clearly someone that stood for something," Gaga said, later adding, "It's kind of a special song to revisit at this time."

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes *RuPaul's Drag Race* video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

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February 8, 2026 7:35 p.m. ET

Lady Gaga; Fred Rogers on 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood'. Credit:

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Everett

Lady Gaga brought a touch of *Mayhem* to the magic of *Mister Rogers' Neighborhood*, with the Grammy-winning pop star's launch of a soaring cover of beloved theme song "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" in a new Super Bowl commercial.

The singer-songwriter's reimagined version of the children's show's signature song was featured in an emotional ad for real estate and finance company Rocket and its subsidiary, Redfin, which aired Sunday during the Super Bowl XL broadcast. The spot featured footage of Americans being good neighbors to one another through small acts of kindness.

The Oscar winner shared her adoration for the late Fred Rogers in a making-of video released ahead of the commercial.**

"Mr. Rogers was so clearly someone that stood for something, and it is powerful to think of what he would say right now. It's kind of a special song to revisit at this time," Gaga said, nodding to his career that was built on foundations of education, empathy, and kindness via his PBS family program. "It was interesting to create something really heartfelt, that keeps the purity and beauty of the original version, but does it in a new way."**

Added Gaga in the behind-the-scenes featurette, "You know, when I think about 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' I just think about my earliest memories as a kid, watching *Mister Rogers*, and I think about how much he meant to people. Especially kids at home."

In an Instagram post promoting the song ahead of Sunday's big game, Gaga called Rogers "a heartfelt presence for children and families all over the world" for generations, before and after his death in 2003.**

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In a 2019 interview with **, Rogers' widow, Joanne Rogers, said she felt that her husband's legacy lived on, long after he died at age 74.

"I think the goodness is there. There are Fred Rogerses out there. I’m so grateful, for Fred’s sake, because he cared so much about his philosophy," Joanne, who died in 2021, told EW at the time. She spoke to EW during a larger conversation pegged to director Marielle Heller's Rogers-inspired, Tom Hanks-starring biographical drama *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood*.

She added, "Such special people have come along who feel the way he felt. I find things providential sometimes, and [this film] seems like one of them."

Lady Gaga at 2026 Grammys.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

*Mister Rogers' Neighborhood *remains one of the longest-running scripted programs in history, after debuting in 1968 and ending in 2001. It was hailed during its cycle for its educational content, and earned its host numerous accolades over the years, including a Peabody Award, a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Gaga has also staked a part of her career on pillars of kindness, as she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, launched their Born This Way Foundation in 2011. The organization's "mission is to empower and inspire young people to build a kinder, braver world that supports their mental health. Learn more about the impact of our work," per its website.

The Super Bowl-timed release of "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" comes one week after Gaga won a handful of Grammys at the 2026 ceremony, including for Best Pop Vocal Album (*Mayhem*) and Best Dance Pop Recording ("Abracadabra").

Hear Gaga's cover of "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" — made in collaboration with musician Alex Smith and Gaga's "Rain On Me" collaborator, Benjamin Rice — in the Super Bowl commercial above.**

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