NEW YORK (Razzie Official Website) - Voters for the Razzies, an annual spoof of the Academy Awards, have a message for
Britney Spears and Madonna: Don't quit your day jobs as pop divas.
Spears' teen buddy flick "Crossroads" had a leading eight Razzie nominations and Madonna's island-romance bomb "Swept Away" received seven, including worst picture and worst actress for both movies.
"Star Wars: Episode II � Attack of the Clones," also received seven nominations, among them worst picture and director for George Lucas, creator of the sci-fi saga.
The other worst-picture contenders are Eddie Murphy's sci-fi comedy "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" and Roberto Benigni's live-action version of "Pinocchio."
Nominees for the 23rd annual Razzies, organized by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, were announced Monday, a day before Oscar nominations. Razzie "winners" will be announced March 22, the eve of the Oscar ceremony.
Madonna personally had four nominations: Worst actress for "Swept Away," directed by her husband, Guy Ritchie (a nominee for worst director and worst screenplay); worst screen couple, paired with Adriano Giannini in "Swept Away"; worst supporting actress for the James Bond adventure "Die Another Day"; and worst song for the "Die Another Day" title tune, which she co-wrote.
What was so bad about "Swept Away," a remake of a 1975 Italian film about a rich snob stranded on an island with a handsome sailor?
"What wasn't?" said Razzies founder John Wilson. "It's a really awful remake of a highly regarded movie. I think it's the most blatant example of the fact that Madonna simply cannot act. It's as though she decided she's going to be a movie star and will keep inflicting these movies on us till we cry uncle. But this one may finally end her film career."
Madonna previously received four worst-actress Razzies for such movies as "Shanghai Surprise" and "Who's That Girl?" The Razzies also named her worst actress of the 20th century.
Spears, whose pop-queen career arc has drawn comparisons to Madonna's, also could continue her predecessor's tradition of bad acting, Wilson said.
"Britney Spears is a Madonna wannabe," Wilson said. "Madonna is on the outs, and Britney could be picking up the torch, or the spear, perhaps."
Besides Madonna and Spears, worst-actress nominees are Angelina Jolie for "Life or Something Like It"; Jennifer Lopez for "Enough" and "Maid in Manhattan"; and Winona Ryder for "Mr. Deeds."
Benigni was nominated in the actor, director and screenplay categories for "Pinocchio." Other worst-actor contenders are Giannini for "Swept Away"; Eddie Murphy for "Pluto Nash," "I Spy" and "Showtime"; Steven Seagal for "Half Past Dead"; and Adam Sandler for "Adam Sandler's 8 Crazy Nights" and "Mr. Deeds."
The Razzies added a new category, most flatulent teen-targeted movie, meant to "dishonor the often moronic movies Hollywood is forever aiming at the acne-and-braces set." Nominees are "Adam Sandler's 8 Crazy Nights," "Crossroads," "Jackass: The Movie," "Scooby-Doo" and "XXX."
