Hoisting her Academy Award in one hand and newly won Razzie in the other, Halle Berry reveled in a career low point.
“Omigosh, oh my God,” Berry gasped Saturday night, feigning excitement. “I never in my life thought that I would be here, winning a Razzie. It’s not like I ever aspired to be here, but thank you.”
Berry was named worst actress for 2004’s action bomb “Catwoman,” which also took the prize for worst film at the 25th annual Razzies, an Oscar spoof that trashes Hollywood’s worst.
President Bush won the worst-actor award for his appearance in news and archival footage of Michael Moore’s satiric documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was voted worst supporting-actor for “Fahrenheit 9/11,” while Britney Spears’ fleeting cameo in the documentary brought her the worst supporting-actress award.
Razzies founder John Wilson said the prizes were not meant to mock Moore’s film, only the statements Bush and the others make while “putting their highly paid, highly skilled feet in their mouths repeatedly and sucking on them.”
'I hope to God I never see these people again'Berry, one of several Oscar-winning actors to be dishonored by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, was the first actor to accept a Razzie in person since Tom Green did so for his part in 2001’s “Freddy Got Fingered.”
Berry, who wore a simple black dress, explained why she showed up at the ceremony.
“When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there’s no way you could be a good winner,” she said.
However, she added, “I hope to God I never see these people again!”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who gave up Hollywood to become California's governor, was chosen worst Razzie loser of the first 25 years, a special prize given to actors who received the most nominations without ever winning a Razzie. His latest loss also came Saturday, to Rumsfeld in the supporting category, in which Schwarzenegger was nominated for “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Chosen by about 675 voters, Razzies also were awarded for worst films of the group’s first 25 years: Drama, “Battlefield Earth”; comedy, “Gigli”; and musical, “From Justin to Kelly.”
Other 2004 Razzies went to “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” for worst sequel and “Catwoman” for worst director (Pitof) and screenplay.
Wilson relishes savaging perpetual winners such as Sylvester Stallone and Madonna. In the case of Berry, Wilson felt sympathy, saying “Catwoman” was simply the result of a misguided career move.
“Don’t get us wrong. She’s a very talented actress, a very beautiful woman, who just made a mistake,” he said. “We’re not trashing Halle Berry as a human being. We’re only saying, we’re so sorry you chose to do this.”