Eisenberg Links Razzie to Shift Toward Writing and Directing

Jesse Eisenberg said a Razzie Award for his role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice contributed to his fear that studio acting opportunities were drying up, prompting him to focus more on writing and directing. He made the remarks during a discussion at the BFI London Film Festival. Eisenberg played Lex Luthor in the 2016 superhero film and received a Golden Raspberry Award, commonly known as a Razzie, for the performance. At the festival, he said he could no longer get movie-studio parts after winning the award and that he saw his career trajectory changing. He described his decision to direct and write as an effort to keep his career afloat. His account linked the career shift to fear about the instability of acting work. Eisenberg said actors can worry about whether their careers are rising or declining, and that he anticipated a downturn. He also said he believed the industry did not want him in another superhero movie, interpreting the Razzie as a sign of that view. Those comments describe Eisenberg’s perception of his career and the reasons for his choices. The available accounts do not independently establish that studios stopped offering him roles because of the...