Since the early 1980s, the Golden Raspberry Awards, commonly known as the “Razzies,” have provided a playful counterpoint to the Oscars. The Razzies “celebrate” the year's worst films and performances, encouraging the industry to “own your bad,” according to their motto.
However, this year, the Razzies sparked controversy when they nominated 12-year-old actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong for “Worst Actress” for her role in the 2022 film “Firestarter,” which she filmed at age 11.
Unfortunately, Armstrong is not the first child to receive a Razzie nomination. Others include Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” and Macaulay Culkin, who was nominated three times.
The nomination led to widespread criticism from industry insiders and fans, who argued that targeting a young performer in this way was inappropriate and potentially harmful.
Filmmaker Joe Russo, known for his work with the Russo Brothers, tweeted, “The Razzies have sunk to a new low by nominating an eleven-year-old girl — whose performance I enjoyed. If you’re going to continue denigrating people’s hard work — which you shouldn’t — at least target adults.”
Julian Hilliard, a child actor known for “The Haunting of Hill House,” also said, “The Razzies are already mean-spirited and classless, but nominating a kid is just repulsive and wrong. Why put a child at risk of increased bullying or worse? Be better.”
In response to the backlash, the Razzies rescinded Armstrong's nomination and introduced a new rule disqualifying anyone under 18 from being nominated in the future.
Razzie Award founder John Wilson released a statement saying, “Sometimes, you do things without thinking. Then you're called out for it, and you realize your mistake. This is why the Razzies were created in the first place.”
He continued, “The recent valid criticism of our choice to nominate 11-year-old Armstrong highlighted our insensitivity in this case. As a result, we have removed Armstrong’s name from the final ballot our members will vote on next month. We also believe we owe Ms. Armstrong a public apology and regret any distress caused by our decision.”
The statement concluded with a commitment to improvement: “We all make mistakes, ourselves included. Our motto is ‘Own Your Bad,' we must hold ourselves to that standard.”
This incident followed another controversy last year when the Razzies were criticized for creating a “Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie” category, which was quickly retracted after it was revealed that Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia and was retiring from acting.
While “owning your bad” includes acknowledging mistakes, it also involves taking corrective action to prevent future harm. The Razzies' new age rule is a step in that direction.