Jesse Eisenberg says receiving a ‘worst supporting actor award’ for his role in ‘Batman v Superman’ hurt his acting career

Jesse Eisenberg has opened about how the reception to his performance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice affected his career, revealing that his Razzie Award win made it difficult for him to land roles in major studio productions. 

The actor, who portrayed Superman’s arch-nemesis Lex Luthor in the 2016 superhero film, said the experience influenced his decision to pursue writing and directing to keep his career moving. 

Jesse discussed the impact of the film’s reception during a screen talk at the BFI London Film Festival, recalling how winning a Razzie Award affected the opportunities available to him. 

“Listen, a lot of it just came from fear,” he said of his decision to move toward directing. “I couldn’t get into movie studio parts anymore because I had won a Raspberry Award from [being in the] Batman movie … and I saw the trajectory.” 

The Golden Raspberry Award, also known as the Razzies, is a satirical awards ceremony that apparently recognizes the year’s “worst films and performances.” They are traditionally held the night before the Academy Awards. 

The actor-director received the Worst Supporting Actor Razzie for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in the film which starred Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman. The film also received Razzies for Worst Remake/Rip-off or Sequel, Worst Screen Combo, and Worst Screenplay. 

Despite the ceremony’s satirical nature, Jesse said the experience reinforced his fears about the unpredictability of working as an actor. 

“If you’re an actor, you’re constantly panicked about ‘Am I on an upslope or a downslope?’” he explained. “Because there’s no plateau. Acting is just this unstable, awful industry where you are either on the treadmill and you’re doing okay and you’re running up or you are yesterday’s news and it’s awful. And if you’re a paranoid person like me, you see it way in advance.” 

He said those concerns eventually pushed him to find another way to sustain his career. 

“So I was like, I’ve got to direct movies. That’s why I started writing them, just to kind of keep my career afloat, really.” 

He also reflected on what he learned from the experience, saying he came to believe that the industry’s response to his superhero role was a sign that he should pursue other projects. 

“The industry tells you what they want from you,” he said. “The industry did not want me to be in a superhero movie, and if you’re smart and self-aware, you learn that quickly.” 

He continued by explaining why he felt it was important to recognize those signals rather than pursue similar roles. 

“And you know, it’s the unsuccessful actor that goes ‘No, I want to be in more of those.’ It’s not going to happen and they don’t want you there and they wouldn’t have given you a Raspberry Award if they wanted you there. That’s an award for bad acting. And so the industry tells you what it wants and if you want a career in the arts you have to follow the things that you’re being told are liked.” 

While Batman v Superman received a mixed response, it opened globally to $424.1 million (around ₱26 billion) at the box office.  

Jesse is also known for starring in The Social Network, Now You See Me, and Zombieland. 

He also expanded his work behind the camera. He made his feature directorial debut with the 2022 film When You Finish Saving the World, which he also wrote. He followed it with the 2024 comedy-drama A Real Pain, which he wrote, directed, and starred in. 

The actor had previously spoken about the effect of Batman v Superman on his career during a 2024 appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast. 

“I was in this Batman movie and the Batman movie was so poorly received, and I was so poorly received,” he said. “I’ve never said this before, and it’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but I genuinely think it actually hurt my career in a real way because I was poorly received in something so public.” 

Jesse is set to appear alongside Julianne Moore in his directorial film The Debut, which is scheduled for theatrical release in December.