You can count Donald Trump and Ronald McDonald as among the former “esteemed” recipients at the Golden Raspberry Awards.
ByGarin Pirnia|Mar 11, 2024, 2:09 PM EDT
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Every year since 1981, the Golden Raspberry Awards, a.k.a. the Razzies, have taken place the day before the Academy Awards to celebrate the worst in cinema. Ironically, on several occasions actors have won both a Razzie and an Oscar—sometimes in the same year (we’re looking at you, Sandra Bullock). Yet the Razzies never cease to amaze with their picks. Here are 12 surprising winners.
1. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio’s first film after the juggernaut Titanic was the 1998 swashbuckling remake of The Man in the Iron Mask. He played twins King Louis XIV and Philippe, and apparently neither one of them gave a very impressive performance. In 1999—five years after he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nod for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape—DiCaprio defeated Spice World to win for Worst Screen Couple at the Razzies, which means he won twice.
2. Donald Trump
In 1991, more than a quarter-century before he was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump won a Worst Supporting Actor Razzie for playing himself in Ghosts Can’t Do It. The movie’s IMDb description reads: “Elderly Scott kills himself after a heart attack wrecks his body, but then comes back as a ghost and convinces his loving young hot wife Kate to pick and kill a young man in order for Scott to possess his body and be with her again.” Anthony Quinn plays Scott, and Bo Derek plays Kate (Leo Damian played the young man, not Trump). Trump won the award at the 11th annual ceremony, held on March 24, 1991. If it’s any consolation, John Derek won Worst Director for the movie, Bo Derek won Worst Actress, and the movie tied with Andrew Dice Clay’s The Adventures of Ford Fairlane for Worst Picture. In his category, Trump edged out Gilbert Gottfried (who was nominated for three movies), Burt Young, Wayne Newton, and his own co-star, Leo Damian.
3. Eddie Redmayne
Eddie Redmayne’s 2016 Razzie win is yet another example of an Oscar winner alternating the high with the low, because the previous year he won a Best Actor Oscar for The Theory of Everything (and was nominated in the same category again last year, for The Danish Girl). Redmayne beat out Chevy Chase, Josh Gad, Kevin James, and Jason Lee to take home the Worst Supporting Actor award for Jupiter Ascending, which received additional nominations for Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Channing Tatum), Worst Actress (Mila Kunis), and Worst Director and Screenplay (the Wachowskis)—though Redmayne was the film’s single award winner.
4. and 5. George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld
Michael Moore’s controversial 2004 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 treated both former president George W. Bush and his secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, as villains. In 2005, for the first time ever, the Razzies nominated a movie that was both critically-acclaimed and a financial success (it grossed $222 million worldwide). Bush beat out Ben Stiller, Ben Affleck, Colin Farrell, and Vin Diesel—actual actors—for Worst Actor, while Rumsfeld was named Worst Supporting Actor over perennial favorite Val Kilmer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jon Voight, and Lambert Wilson. Bush also won for Worst Screen Couple: “George W. Bush and either Condoleezza Rice or his Pet Goat,” the book Bush read to Florida schoolchildren the morning of the 9/11 attacks. Fahrenheit 9/11 won a total of four Razzies, including one for Britney Spears, who made a tiny cameo in the film (as herself).
6. Marlon Brando
Over the course of his more than 50-year career, Marlon Brando earned eight Oscar nominations and won twice. But that didn’t prevent him from starring in a few stinkers. Brando received his first Razzie nod at the very first Razzie Awards, in 1981, when he was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor for The Formula. He was nominated in the same category again in 1993, for Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, and then again in 1997, when he won for playing Dr. Moreau in the critically panned The Island of Dr. Moreau. He beat out co-star Val Kilmer, Burt Reynolds, Steven Seagal, and Quentin Tarantino to win the not-so-coveted award.
7. Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond segued into film acting when he starred in the 1980 remake of The Jazz Singer. The movie grossed a middling $27 million, but the Diamond-penned and performed soundtrack sold 5 million copies. The odd thing is, in the same year that Diamond won a Worst Actor Razzie for The Jazz Singer, he was nominated for a Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe for the same role.
8. Sir Laurence Olivier
Long considered one of the world’s greatest actors, Sir Laurence Olivier fell from grace in 1981 when he, like his co-star Neil Diamond, won a Razzie for The Jazz Singer—in Olivier’s case, it was a Worst Supporting Actor award, which he ended up sharing with John Adames from Gloria (so at least he wasn’t alone in his shame). It’s a head-scratcher how the Shakespearean actor—who won three Oscars, three Golden Globes, and five Emmys—ended up with not one, but two Razzies (he won a Worst Actor award in 1983 for Inchon, besting Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of Conan the Barbarian). But the Razzies weren’t the end of Olivier’s lauded career: In 1984 he won an Emmy for King Lear.
9. Ronald McDonald
In 1989, McDonald’s iconic mascot, Ronald McDonald, won a Worst New Star award—beating out then-newcomer Jean-Claude Van Damme—for playing himself in . The movie, about a wheelchair-using young boy and his alien friend, was also nominated for Worst Director, Worst Picture, and Worst Screenplay. Today, Mac and Me is probably best-known for finding its way into movie clips whenever Paul Rudd appears on Conan.
10. Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone is a three-time Oscar nominee, and a Razzie veteran. He won his first Golden Raspberry in 1985, for Worst Actor in Rhinestone. He has been nominated for dozens more Razzies since then, and won 10 of them, including a Worst Actor of the Century in 2000 and the Razzie Redeemer award in 2016, which is about as nice as the Razzies get, as it was for his move “From All-Time Razzie Champ to Award Contender for Creed” because of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar nod he received last year for Creed.
11. and 12. Eric Roth and Brian Helgeland
Oscar-winning screenwriters Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) and Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) won a Razzie in 1998 for adapting the book The Postman into a terrible Kevin Costner movie. Their script, according to the Razzies, was worse than the screenplays for Anaconda, Batman & Robin, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Speed 2: Cruise Control. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Roth and Helgeland weren’t the only members of The Postman team to earn some attention from the Razzies; the film also won for Worst Picture (Costner), Worst Actor (again, Costner), Worst Director (again, Costner), and Worst Song (not Costner). The day after the Razzies, Helgeland and writer/director Curtis Hanson won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for L.A. Confidential. Roth, who had won an Oscar in 1995 for writing Forrest Gump, shook off his Golden Raspberry win and went on to win three more Oscars (and counting).
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50 Simple DIY Halloween Costumes For Last-Minute Planners
Looking for a simple, classic Halloween costume you can create at home with relatively little effort? Look no further.
ByEden Gordon|Oct 25, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
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Halloween is approaching fast. Do you have your costume yet?
There’s always the option of going out and buying a whole new costume, and unless you really know your way around a sewing kit, some looks are more likely than others to require that step. But there are countless amazing Halloween costumes that are pretty easy to create all by yourself, mostly using things you already have at home.
Halloween costumes may have their roots in the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, a time when the veil between the land of the dead and the living was traditionally believed to grow thin. In order to blend in with wandering spirits, people would often wear animal skins, masks, bones, and other disguises.
Today, Halloween costumes have become immensely creative and varied, though some patterns do exist. Monstrous creatures such as vampires and aliens remain common across the U.S., as do characters from pop culture. Costumes can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish, and if you’re looking to pull together a costume mostly using just what you already have in your house, there are plenty of options. A little creativity and ingenuity go a very long way here.
Here are 50 Halloween DIY costume ideas perfect for anyone with scissors and a dream.
- Classic DIY Halloween Costumes
- Food DIY Halloween Costumes
- Punny and Funny Halloween Costumes
- Pop Culture DIY Halloween Costumes
- Spooky DIY Halloween Costumes
Classic DIY Halloween Costumes
Ghost
Have a spare sheet lying around? Cut out eye holes, pull it over your head, and you’re all set to haunt.
Tourist
Grab a Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses, a camera, and a paper map, and you’ll look just like a dad seeing Bermuda for the first time.
Black Cat
A black shirt, eyeliner whiskers, ears made with Velcro, and a tail made from fabric come together to create this classic Halloween getup.
Nerd
A button-down shirt, suspenders, and taped-together glasses will have you looking ready to ace the upcoming math test.
Burglar
Prepare to steal the prize for best Halloween costume with a black-and-white striped shirt, a beanie, and a ski mask. (A black hoodie and a bag slung over your shoulder will also suffice.)
Cowboy or Cowgirl
A plaid shirt, overalls, and a cowboy hat are pretty much all this costume needs. (Turn it into a scarecrow costume with some hay and straw-style makeup!)
Detective
All you need is a trench coat, a magnifying glass, and a notebook to look like you’re ready to solve any case that comes your way.
Superhero
There are plenty of pop culture superheroes to choose from, but you can create your own with leggings, a leotard, a piece of fabric for the cape, and your own unique logo.
‘80s Icon
Indulge your ‘80s nostalgia with a classic ‘80s Halloween costume, complete with a leotard over leggings, leg warmers, and a matching headband.
Pirate
An eyepatch is most of what you need to make this costume recognizable, but a bandana, a striped shirt, a DIY sword, and a stuffed parrot perched on your shoulder will complete this look.
Food DIY Halloween Costumes
Bunch of Grapes
Tape a bunch of purple or green balloons to an outfit and you’ll look just like this ancestor of wine.
Fried Egg
This costume can consist of a large egg-shaped blob cut from a piece of white cardboard or fabric, plus a yellow blob on top for the yolk, all attached to your shirt (or jacket, depending on the Halloween weather).
Milk Carton
A cardboard box painted white with the word “Milk” on it and a hole cut through it come together to turn you into a convincing milk carton. Feel free to add as many (or as few) details to the box as you’d like.
Pineapple
A yellow shirt plus a green crown made from paper or felt are all that’s required for this costume.
Popcorn
A cardboard box with red and white stripes painted on, with crumpled-up yellow paper on top make you look like the perfect movie theater snack.
Cosmic Brownie
You can look like this classic Little Debbie sweet treat with just a brown shirt with some colorful cotton balls taped or pinned onto it.
Strawberry
Look like this beloved berry by simply cutting out some seed-shaped bits from felt and attaching them to a red dress, and adding a green hat.
Tropical Drink
This one might require a trip to the corner store, but bear with us: dress up like a poolside cocktail with a pink dress, a parasol, a lemon-shaped headpiece, and a straw-shaped appendage attached to a headband!
Gumball Machine
Just grab some superglue and attach a bunch of colorful ping pong balls to a white shirt.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Glue some white yarn onto a red T-shirt, and pair it with meatballs made from balls wrapped in fabric, and you’ll be looking like this classic dinner dish in no time.
Punny and Funny Halloween Costumes
Cereal Killer
Attach some miniature cereal boxes to a shirt, and add a prop feknife and some fake blood. (To make it even simpler, carry around a bowl of cereal and a knife.)
Ceiling Fan
You’ll need a few pom-poms, plus a shirt with the message “Go Ceiling!” on it.
Identity Thief
Covered in a bunch of name tags with different names on them and voila.
A Formal Apology
A fancy dress and a banner reading “I’m sorry” complete this punny costume.
Copycat
Just add a stack of photocopies or a sign reading “CTRL+C” to your black cat costume.
Blessing in Disguise
Put a trench coat, sunglasses, and a fedora over a white dress complete with angel wings and a halo.
French Kiss
Pair a French-inspired striped shirt and beret with makeup done in the style of the band Kiss. (Croissants, French flags, and electric guitars optional.) Even simpler: drop the Kiss makeup and simply paint your lips bright red.
Chef’s Kiss
Dress up as this popular Gen Z slang term for Halloween with a white chef’s jacket stamped with lipstick kisses.
Freudian Slip
Wear a slip dress and write or attach Sigmund Freud-related words like “id” and “ego” to it, and you’ll have Freud himself rolling in his grave.
When Life Gives You Lemons
A trip to a grocery store is pretty much all you need for this one, which requires wearing a nametag that reads “life” and carrying a basket of lemons.
Pop Culture DIY Halloween Costumes
Wednesday Addams
A black dress, black stockings, braided pigtails, and a deadpan expression will turn you into a dead ringer for this classic Addams family member.
Dwight Schrute
Turn Halloween night into an episode of The Office with just a mustard button-down shirt, brown tie, glasses, and a large mug.
Barbie
Don a pink outfit, cute accessories, and bright makeup and you’ll be ready to embody this famous doll.
Indiana Jones
Get ready for intrepid Halloween adventures with a fedora, brown jacket, satchel, khakis, and a homemade whip. (Rope will do.)
Men in Black Agent
A black suit, white button-down, and sunglasses will have you ready to track alien activity.
Mary Poppins
A white blouse, dark skirt, red bow tie, and an umbrella will have you ready to offer spoonfuls of sugar to every trick-or-treater.
Joel Goodsen in Risky Business
A large button-down white shirt, neutral undergarments, dark sunglasses, white socks, and a candlestick are all you need; the classic dance moves are optional.
Bob Ross
A denim jacket, a curly wig, and a paint palette come together to create the perfect impression of this lovable TV artist.
Dolly Parton
The late, beloved Dolly Parton will definitely be one of the biggest costumes of 2026. Join the party with a blonde wig, a pink hat, cowboy boots, a guitar, and anything sparkly.
Marty McFly
The classic Back to the Future protagonist is an easy one to replicate if you have a skateboard (or hoverboard) on hand; just pull out a puffer vest over a jean jacket and add jeans.
Spooky DIY Halloween Costumes
Vampire
Dark clothes, a homemade cape made from a sheet, pale makeup, and homemade fangs will have you looking like Dracula (or Edward Cullen, depending on your taste).
Mummy
Drape some strips of white fabric over neutral clothes.
Fortune Teller
Layered clothes, chunky jewelry, and homemade tarot cards complete this look.
Grim Reaper
Pair a black robe with a homemade scythe made from wood and cardboard.
Swamp Monster
Dark green and blue clothes, plus fake moss and leaves, and green makeup, will have you looking ready to crawl out of a swamp.
Haunted Doll
Vintage dress, pigtails, pale makeup with rosy cheeks and a red lip, and painted-on cracks will ensure that you terrify anyone with a fear of dolls.
Devil
This one’s an instantly recognizable classic and requires just an all-red outfit, plus homemade red horns.
Zombie
Get ready to look very undead with old, torn-up clothes, pale makeup, extremely dark circles under your eyes, and some bloodstains made from corn syrup and red food dye.
Mad Scientist
A lab coat, lab glasses, some wildly teased hair, and a few jars filled with colorful water come together for this zany look.
Witch
It doesn’t get more classically Halloween than this costume, which comes together with just a black dress, a broom, and of course, a pointy hat.
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