Jesse Eisenberg says winning a Razzie for playing Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman made it harder to land major studio roles and influenced his move into directing.
Jesse Eisenberg has revealed that winning a Razzie Award for his performance as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice negatively affected his acting career, making it harder for him to secure roles in major studio productions and encouraging him to pursue directing.
Speaking during a discussion at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday, Eisenberg reflected on the professional consequences of the criticism surrounding his portrayal of the iconic DC Comics villain. He said the experience changed his perception of his future in Hollywood and prompted him to consider a different direction in filmmaking.
According to Eisenberg, winning the award made it difficult to obtain roles in major studio films. He felt Hollywood was no longer interested in casting him in superhero productions, leading him to reconsider his prospects as an actor.
The experience also highlighted the uncertainty of working in the entertainment industry. Eisenberg discussed how actors can find themselves questioning whether their careers are progressing or losing momentum, with the unpredictability of future opportunities creating additional pressure.
He said concerns about his professional future played a significant role in his decision to become a director. Rather than relying entirely on acting opportunities, he began exploring filmmaking behind the camera, allowing him to take greater control of his creative work.
Eisenberg played Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder’s 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which starred Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. Despite attracting significant public attention, the superhero film received mixed and negative reviews from critics.
Eisenberg won the Golden Raspberry Award, commonly known as a Razzie, for Worst Supporting Actor for his performance. The film also received Razzies for Worst Screenplay, Worst Sequel and Worst Screen Combo, the latter recognizing the pairing of Cavill and Affleck.
Despite the criticism, Batman v Superman achieved substantial commercial success, earning approximately $424.1 million worldwide during its opening period, according to the supplied report.
Eisenberg had previously discussed the impact of playing Lex Luthor during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, where he acknowledged that the role had significantly affected his career. His latest remarks offer further insight into how the experience influenced his professional decisions.
His move into directing has given him another avenue to pursue storytelling and make creative decisions beyond acting. The BFI London Film Festival concluded on Sunday with a screening of his latest directorial project, The Debut, featuring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti.
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