Razzies ‘truly sorry’ for giving Bruce Willis ‘worst performance’ category amid aphasia diagnosis

A controversial awards show has rescinded its brutal nominations for Bruce Willis after he was diagnosed with a brain condition and forced to retire.

And the winner will not be Bruce Willis.

The Razzie Awards have decided to not give Bruce Willis the “worst performance by Bruce Willis in 2021” award after much backlash.

In a statement to The Post, the award show’s co-founders, John Wilson and Mo Murphy, said, “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.”

The US actor is nominated for eight separate performances in movies released in 2021, and even received his own ‘special category’ at this year’s Razzies, ‘Worst Performance by Bruce Willis.’

On Thursday, it was revealed that Willis, 67, was diagnosed with the brain disorder aphasia and had decided to give up acting.

The statement continued, “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.”

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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 Razzie® Awards (@RazzieAwards) March 30, 2022

The organisers also told the publication that they will be taking back The Shining star Shelley Duvall’s Razzie as well.

“As we recently mentioned in a Vulture interview, extenuating circumstances also apply to Shelley Duvall in ‘The Shining’,” they added.

“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,” the note concluded.

Murphy told Vulture in February that she would like to repeal Duvall’s nomination if she could. “Knowing the backstory and the way that Stanley Kubrick kind of pulverised her, I would take that back,” she told the outlet.

Following Willis’ family’s disclosure of his illness, the awards show tweeted, “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.”

Willis was forced to retire from acting after four decades. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP

Wilson and Murphy further told IndieWire, “We are truly sorry to hear about Willis’ diagnosis, of which we were unaware until the story broke earlier today.”

They continued, “In Willis’ defence, 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.”

Soon after that letter, Wilson released another statement to the outlet: “We are still discussing how to handle the news about Willis’ diagnosis and will get back to you.”

This story originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Razzies ‘truly sorry’ for giving Bruce Willis ‘worst performance’ category amid aphasia diagnosis