The Razzies Retracted Bruce Willis' Worst Performance Award Due to His Aphasia Diagnosis

The organization is reevaluating some of its nominations and winners after recent news came to light.

Sometimes, award shows make mistakes. That is true with this year’s special award given to Bruce Willis for "Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie" at the Razzies. 

A day after Bruce Willis' family revealed that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia, the Golden Raspberry Awards revoked its recent recognition of the actor.

The Razzies are also taking back their nomination of Shelley Duvall for her performance in The Shining due to the abusive conditions she endured on the film’s set which was captured in Vivian Kubrik's documentary, Making 'The Shining.' 

If you weren't aware, this year’s Razzies included a special award just for Willis that highlighted eight Geezer Teasers that he starred in last year in which Cosmic Sin took home the Golden Raspberry. Four days later, the actor’s family made public the news of his aphasia, a disease caused by brain damage that impacts a person’s cognitive and communication abilities. 

The unfortunate news led the Razzies to reconsider their criticisms of the actors' performances. Organizers of the show told IndieWire that they were considering options of how to respond to the news of Willis’ diagnosis, revealing their decision early on Thursday morning: 

After much thought and consideration, the Razzies have made the decision to rescind the Razzie Award given to Bruce Willis, due to his recently disclosed diagnosis.

If someone’s medical condition is a factor in their decision-making and/or their performance, we acknowledge that it is not appropriate to give them a Razzie.

As we recently mentioned in a Vulture Interview, extenuating circumstances also apply to Shelley Duvall in The Shining. We have since discovered that Duvall’s performance was impacted by Stanley Kubrick’s treatment of her throughout the production. We would like to take this opportunity to rescind that nomination as well.

Actors’ performances can be heavily affected by their private lives, lending to either great or poor showcases of their talents. While the Razzies is a place to celebrate the “bad” moves made in Hollywood, they must be responsible for any controversial awards and nominations when extenuating information about the actor is made public. 

The Razzies acknowledging this and acting accordingly is a respectable step. Owning your mistakes is the first step to a more progressive perspective on the world around us, and making the entertainment industry a place for people who enjoy acting to keep doing what they love until they no longer can do so.