Brief
Jesse Eisenberg says Razzie win blocked studio roles
The actor says the award forced him to focus on writing and directing after the 2016 superhero film.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Jesse Eisenberg told a BFI London Film Festival screen talk on Sunday that winning a Golden Raspberry Award for his supporting role in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice effectively closed the door on future studio‑backed movie parts for him.
What happened
Eisenberg received the Razzie for worst supporting actor for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in the 2016 blockbuster, which opened globally with a $424.1 million box office and collected four Razzies overall, including worst screenplay and worst sequel. He said the award caused him to step back from acting in major studio productions and turn to writing and directing, citing his latest directorial effort, The Debut, which closed the festival on Sunday.
What the reports add
The Variety piece notes that Eisenberg described the Razzie as a career‑damaging “award” that made studios reluctant to cast him, saying, “I couldn’t get into movie studio parts anymore because I had won a Raspberry Award from [being in the] ‘Batman’ movie.” He also linked the experience to a broader industry perception that actors are constantly “panicked” about their career trajectory.
What was said
During the talk Eisenberg said, “Listen, a lot of it just came from fear… Acting is just this unstable, awful industry where you are either on the treadmill and you’re doing okay or you are yesterday’s news.” He added, “So I was like, I’ve got to direct movies. That’s why I started writing them, just to kind of keep my career afloat, really.” He also warned against returning to superhero films, stating, “The industry tells you what they want from you… The industry did not want me to be in a superhero movie.”
How it came about
Eisenberg’s comments follow earlier Felo News coverage of his recent work, including a profile of his musical‑theatre‑inspired film The Debut and his praise for Julianne Moore’s performance at the New York Film Festival. The Razzie win for Batman v Superman appears to be the turning point that prompted his shift toward directing.
Key facts
- Eisenberg won the Razzie for worst supporting actor for his role in Batman v Superman (variety.com)
- The film opened globally with a $424.1 million box office and earned four Razzies overall (variety.com)
- He says the Razzie prevented him from getting further studio movie parts (variety.com)
- Eisenberg has turned to writing and directing, with his latest film The Debut closing the BFI London Film Festival (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “Jesse Eisenberg Says He ‘Couldn’t Get Movie Studio Parts Anymore’ After Winning A Razzie For ‘Batman v Superman’: ‘The Industry Did Not Want Me to Be in a Superhero Movie’”
