Razzie Awards 2023: Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde named Worst Picture

Razzie Awards 2023: Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde is named Worst Picture while Elvis and Morbius also pick up multiple gongs

Blonde was named Worst Picture at the Razzie Awards while Elvis was one of the other big ‘winners’ at the event. 

The Marilyn Monroe biopic starring Ana de Armas scooped the dubious honour at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards – which honour the worst in film – as well as Worst Screenplay for writer-director Andrew Dominick.

Before celebrating the best films of the season during the Oscars ceremony on Sunday, the Razzie Awards called out the worst on Saturday. 

Awards bosses said Blonde – which was nominated for eight Razzies – was ‘misogynistic, salacious and fallacious’ and ‘shamelessly exploits the memory of the late Marilyn Monroe.’

They got the honour for Worst Picture ahead of Good Mourning, Pinocchio, The King’s Daughter and Morbius. 

Oh no: Blonde was named Worst Picture at the Razzie Awards on Friday night while Elvis was one of the other big ‘winners’ at the event

Awkward: Meanwhile, Tom Hanks took home Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Combo – for himself and ‘his latex face’ – for his work on Elvis (Austin Butler pictured) 

Not happy: Organisers noted the Hollywood favourite has ‘spent his career stretching his acting capabilities to great success, went a bridge too far with his version of Col. Tom Parker in the otherwise excellent biopic Elvis’

Meanwhile, Tom Hanks took home Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Combo – for himself and ‘his latex face’ – for his work on Elvis.

Organisers noted the Hollywood favourite has ‘spent his career stretching his acting capabilities to great success, went a bridge too far with his version of Col. Tom Parker in the otherwise excellent biopic Elvis.’

Tom was also nominated for Worst Actor for his turn in Pinocchio but was beaten to the dubious prize by Morbius star Jared Leto, whose co-star Adria Arjona was given Worst Supporting Actress.

The Razzies themselves were handed the Worst Actress prize, taking an award for the first time in their history following their well-criticised decision to include 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong in the category for her performance in movie flop Firestarter, which they later withdrew.

Razzies co-founder John Wilson previously said of the decision: ‘Sometimes, you do things without thinking, Then you are called out for it. Then you get it. It’s why the Razzies were created in the first place.

‘The recent valid criticism of the choice of 11-year-old Armstrong as a nominee for one of our awards brought our attention to how insensitive we’ve been in this instance.

‘As a result, we have removed Armstrong’s name from the Final Ballot that our members will cast next month. 

‘We also believe a public apology is owed Ms. Armstrong, and wish to say we regret any hurt she experienced as a result of our choices.’

Tough: The Marilyn Monroe biopic starring Ana de Armas scooped the dubious honour at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards – which honour the worst in film – as well as Worst Screenplay for writer-director Andrew Dominick

Bad: Tom was also nominated for Worst Actor for his turn in Pinocchio but was beaten to the dubious prize by Morbius star Jared Leto, whose co-star Adria Arjona was given Worst Supporting Actress

On Tuesday, controversy ensued when Armstrong was nominated for Worst Actress for her performance in the film Firestarter, with many people taking to social media calling out the award show for bullying and a toxic message in nominating a preteen performer. 

Among those to vent their displeasure on social media was child actor Julian Hilliard, 11, who tweeted, ‘The razzies are already mean-spirited & classless, but to nominate a kid is just repulsive & wrong. Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse? Be better.’

In response to a user who called the show a joke, Hilliard replied, ‘Nope, not when it involves a kid. That “joke” can have a very negative impact. They crossed a line.’

Another user said of the nomination, ‘This is beyond the pale. As a critic, I believe in being honest about movies but there is zero reason to be cruel. Treating a child this way is monstrous.’

Making amends: The Golden Raspberry Awards, known as the Razzies, removed Ryan Kiera Armstrong from their ballot, after cruelly nominating the preteen in the Worst Actress category; seen in October 2022

Doing better: Following substantial backlash online for including a minor among their nominees, the parody award show, which annually honors the worst of film, made the decision to introduce age limit for nominations

One user suggested the show rescind Armstrong’s nomination after the decision involving Willis last year. 

‘Just like when they Rescinded Bruce Willis’s Category Razzie Noms Last Year, I’m calling on #Razzies to Rescind Nom of Ryan Kiera Armstrong in Worst Actress,’ the user wrote. ‘They crossed line. She’s a Kid. Kids should be OFF LIMITS when it comes to Razzie. It’s Time to Rescind it & End Them!’

Another user suggested that ‘nominating a young talent isn’t fair,’ as they are still learning, and ‘it’s the equivalent of bashing someone’s first time cooking a complex recipe.’

Armstrong has also appeared in American Horror Story: Double Feature in 2021 and, mostly, was seen in the western, The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage, which came out earlier this month.

Golden Raspberry Awards 2023 list of winners: 

Worst Picture:

‘Blonde’

Worst Actor:

Jared Leto – ‘Morbius’

Worst Actress:

The Razzies (for ‘Their 43rd Worst Actress Nominations Blunder’)

Razzie Redeemer Award:

Colin Farrell (From 2004 Worst Actor nominee to 2022 Best Actor Oscar Front-Runner)

Worst Supporting Actor:

Tom Hanks – ‘Elvis’

Worst Supporting Actress:

Adria Arjona – ‘Morbius’

Worst Screen Combo:

Tom Hanks and His Latex-Laden Face (and That Ludicrous Accent) – ‘Elvis’

Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel:

Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’

Worst Directors:

Machine Gun Kelly and Mod Sun – ‘Good Mourning’

Worst Screenplay:

‘Blonde’, Written for the Screen by Andrew Dominik

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