The Razzies 2025: what are the ‘wooden spoon of Hollywood’ awards and have celebrities attended the ceremony?

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The most glittering night in cinema - proceeded by a celebration of the worst 😖🎞
  • The Road to the Oscars 2025 isn’t just paved in gold…
  • This year’s nominees for the Golden Raspberry Awards were recently announced, with the ceremony taking place shortly before the Academy Awards.
  • But what is a ‘Razzie’ and has any celebrity picked up their award in person?

So while writing about the Road to the Oscars 2025 and some of the awards ceremonies taking place in the lead up to this year’s Academy Awards, I forgot one ceremony.

One that has become as iconic as the Oscars, but for a very different reason. I'm talking about The Golden Raspberry Awards, or the ‘Razzies’ – the Oscars’ cheeky counterpart, celebrating the worst in cinema over the past year.

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This year’s nominees have already been announced, but for those new to awards season, you might be wondering what the award is - or why it exists in the first place?

The tongue-and-cheek ceremony has become a mainstay of Oscars season, with even future Oscar-winners attending the event in recent years to collect their ‘award.’ It is still an award in the cinema world after all, and yes - there is a ‘red carpet’ event before the ceremony begins.

So ahead of this year’s Razzies, let’s take a look into the history of the beloved, irreverent awards ceremony.

What are the Golden Raspberry Awards?

Presenter John Wilson announces the winner for  "Worst Picture",  "Basic Instinct 2" announced as "Basically it Stinks Too" during the Razzie Awards in Hollywood, CA, 24 February 2007.Presenter John Wilson announces the winner for  "Worst Picture",  "Basic Instinct 2" announced as "Basically it Stinks Too" during the Razzie Awards in Hollywood, CA, 24 February 2007.
Presenter John Wilson announces the winner for "Worst Picture", "Basic Instinct 2" announced as "Basically it Stinks Too" during the Razzie Awards in Hollywood, CA, 24 February 2007. | AFP via Getty Images

The Golden Raspberry Awards, or the Razzies, are a tongue-in-cheek awards ceremony that recognizes the worst films of the year.

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Unlike the Oscars, which celebrate cinematic achievements, the Razzies focus on the films and performances that received harsh criticism or were deemed subpar by critics and audiences alike. Categories include Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Actress, Worst Director, and more.

While the Razzies often revel in playful mockery, they’ve also shown compassion when needed. For example, when Bruce Willis’ struggles with frontotemporal dementia became public, the Razzies rescinded his “wins,” demonstrating that despite their satirical nature, the ceremony doesn’t cross the line into malice.

When Did the Razzies Begin?

The Golden Raspberry Awards were created in 1980 by publicist John J.B. Wilson as a humorous alternative to the formal awards season. The first ceremony took place on March 31, 1981, in Wilson’s living room. Over time, the Razzies grew in notoriety, offering a witty and irreverent counterpoint to the Hollywood glam of the Academy Awards.

Neil Diamond was the first recipient of a Razzie, winning Worst Actor for The Jazz Singer. The first Worst Picture award went to Can't Stop the Music, starring Steve Guttenberg and Bruce Jenner (before they became Caitlyn Jenner).

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Has Anyone Ever Attended the Razzies to Collect Their “Award”?

Yes! While most actors and filmmakers take the Razzies in good humour, a few have shown up to accept their “awards” in person.

Sandra Bullock made headlines in 2010 when she attended the Razzies the night before the Oscars to accept the Worst Actress award for All About Steve. Bullock turned the moment into a light-hearted, self-deprecating spectacle by gifting DVDs of the film to the audience.

Similarly, Halle Berry attended the Razzies to collect her Worst Actress award for Catwoman in 2005, even calling it a "piece of s**t" during her acceptance speech.

Then there’s Tom Green, who attended the 2002 Razzies to collect his Worst Actor award for Freddy Got Fingered. His red carpet entrance featured him playing a never-ending harmonica solo, and his acceptance speech culminated in a memorable and chaotic removal from the stage.

Who has been nominated for a Razzie in 2025?

This year’s nominees are as follows:

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Worst Picture

  • Borderlands (Lionsgate) – Ari Arad, Avi Arad, and Erik Feig
  • Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.) – Joseph Garner, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Todd Phillips
  • Madame Web (Columbia / Sony Pictures Releasing) – Lorenzo di Bonaventura
  • Megalopolis (Lionsgate) – Michael Bederman, Francis Ford Coppola, Barry Hirsch, and Fred Roos
  • Reagan (ShowBiz Direct) – Mark Joseph

Worst Director

  • S. J. Clarkson – Madame Web
  • Francis Ford Coppola – Megalopolis
  • Todd Phillips – Joker: Folie à Deux
  • Eli Roth – Borderlands
  • Jerry Seinfeld – Unfrosted

Worst Actor

  • Jack Black – Dear Santa as Satan / "Santa Claus"
  • Zachary Levi – Harold and the Purple Crayon as Harold
  • Joaquin Phoenix – Joker: Folie à Deux as Arthur Fleck / Joker
  • Dennis Quaid – Reagan as Ronald Reagan
  • Jerry Seinfeld – Unfrosted as Bob Cabana

Worst Actress

  • Cate Blanchett – Borderlands as Lilith
  • Bryce Dallas Howard – Argylle as Elly Conway
  • Dakota Johnson – Madame Web as Cassandra Webb
  • Lady Gaga – Joker: Folie à Deux as Harley "Lee" Quinzel
  • Jennifer Lopez – Atlas as Atlas Shepherd

Worst Supporting Actor

  • Jack Black – Borderlands as Claptrap (voice only)
  • Kevin Hart – Borderlands as Roland Greaves
  • Shia LaBeouf – Megalopolis as Clodio Pulcher (in drag)
  • Tahar Rahim – Madame Web as Ezekiel Sims
  • Jon Voight – Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land, and Strangers as Hamilton Crassus III, Viktor Petrovich, Robert Wainwright, and Richard (respectively)

Worst Supporting Actress

  • Ariana DeBose – Argylle and Kraven the Hunter as Keira and Calypso Ezili (respectively)
  • Lesley-Anne Down – Reagan as Margaret Thatcher
  • Emma Roberts – Madame Web as Mary Parker
  • Amy Schumer – Unfrosted as Marjorie Post
  • FKA Twigs – The Crow as Shelly Webster

Worst Screen Combo

  • Any two obnoxious characters (but especially Jack Black) – Borderlands
  • Any two unfunny "comedic actors" – Unfrosted
  • The entire cast of Megalopolis
  • Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga – Joker: Folie à Deux
  • Dennis Quaid & Penelope Ann Miller (as "Ronny & Nancy) – Reagan

Worst Remake, Rip-off, or Sequel

  • The Crow (Lionsgate)
  • Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.)
  • Kraven the Hunter (Columbia / Sony Pictures Releasing)
  • Mufasa: The Lion King (Disney)
  • Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver (Netflix)

Worst Screenplay

  • Joker: Folie à Deux – screenplay by Scott Silver and Todd Phillips (based on characters by DC Comics)
  • Kraven the Hunter – screenplay by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk; story by Richard Wenk (based on characters by Marvel Comics)
  • Madame Web – screenplay by Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker, and S. J. Clarkson; story by Kerem Sanga, Matt Sazama, and Burk Sharpless (based on characters by Marvel Comics)
  • Megalopolis – screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola
  • Reagan – screenplay by Howard Klausner (based on the book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism by Paul Kengor)

When Do the Razzies Take Place?

The 2025 Razzies will be held on March 1 2025 - a day before the 97th Academy Awards.

Who do you think from the world of film has earned a Razzie win ahead of this year’s ceremony? Let us know your predictions by leaving a comment down below.

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