A change of heart. The Razzie Awards have walked back their decision to continue their “Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in 2021” award following the actor’s recent health issues.
“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,” cofounders John Wilson and Mo Murphy said in a statement to Us Weekly on Thursday, March 31. “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.”
The comical take on the Academy Awards, also known as the Golden Raspberry Awards, faced backlash for their initial response to concerns about the trophy.
“The Razzies are truly sorry for #BruceWillis diagnosed condition. Perhaps this explains why he wanted to go out with a bang in 2021. Our best wishes to Bruce and family,” the Twitter account for the awards show tweeted on Wednesday, March 30. “To clarify, we heard about Willis’ diagnosis at the same time everyone else did … just this morning.”
Earlier that day, Willis’ loved ones announced that the Armageddon star, 67, would be “stepping away” from his acting career. “As a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia,” an Instagram statement from Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and his children read on Wednesday. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
The social media post noted that his medical diagnosis has been “impacting his cognitive abilities” in recent years. “This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” his family concluded. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.”
That same day, Wilson and Murphy addressed the negative feedback about the Bruce Razzie award.
“We are truly sorry to hear about Willis’ diagnosis, of which we were unaware until the story broke earlier today. In Willis’ defense, perhaps his reps should not have let him do such a high volume of work in so short a time. We offer our best wishes to Bruce and his family,” they told IndieWire, later adding, “We are still discussing how to handle the news about Willis’ diagnosis and will get back to you.”
