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James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), ''
Milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulat ...
'' (2008), '' Eat, Pray, Love'' (2010), '' Rise of the Planet of the Apes'' (2011), '' Spring Breakers'' (2012), and ''
Oz the Great and Powerful ''Oz the Great and Powerful'' is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner from a story by Kapner. Based on L. Frank Baum's early 20th century ''Oz'' novels and set 20 y ...
'' (2013). He is known for his collaborations with fellow actor Seth Rogen, having appeared in eight films and one television series with him, examples being '' Pineapple Express'' (2008), '' This Is the End'' (2013), '' Sausage Party'' (2016), and ''The'' ''Disaster'' ''Artist'' (2017), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Franco is also known for his work on television where his first prominent acting role was the character Daniel Desario on the short-lived ensemble comedy-drama '' Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–2000), which developed a
cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
. He portrayed the
title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
in the television biographical film '' James Dean'' (2001), for which he won a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
, and received nominations for
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
and Primetime Emmy Award. Franco had a recurring role on the daytime
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
'' (2009–2012) and starred in the limited series '' 11.22.63'' (2016). He starred in the David Simon-created HBO drama '' The Deuce'' (2017–2019). Franco volunteers for
The Art of Elysium The Art of Elysium (TAOE), founded in 1997, is an American nonprofit organization that provides community arts programs and artist services. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, it organizes monthly workshops in fashion, film/theater, music, ...
charity and has taught film classes at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, the
University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...
,
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
, Studio 4, Palo Alto High School, and Playhouse West. During his time as a teacher Franco admitted to having sex with several of his students, which led to lawsuits and a $2 million sexual-misconduct settlement in 2021.


Early life

James Edward Franco was born in
Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The city was es ...
on April 19, 1978. His mother, Betsy Lou (''
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Verne), is a children's book author and occasional actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene Franco, ran a
Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo Cou ...
business. His father was of Portuguese (from
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
) and Swedish ancestry, while his mother is Jewish, from a family of
Russian Jewish The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest pop ...
descent."James Franco" Inside the Actors Studio December 7, 2010 His paternal grandmother, Marjorie (''née'' Peterson), is a published author of young adult books. His maternal grandfather, Daniel, changed his surname from "Verovitz" to "Verne" some time after 1940, and his maternal grandmother, Mitzie (''née'' Levine), owned the prominent Verne Art Gallery in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...
and was an active member in the National Council of Jewish Women. Franco's family upbringing was "academic, liberal, and largely secular". He grew up in California with his two younger brothers, actors Tom and
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
. A "math whiz", Franco interned at
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
. He was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and did well on the SAT. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996, where he acted in plays. This led to him attending
CSSSA The California State Summer School for the Arts, commonly known as CSSSA ("SEE-SUH"), is a rigorous four-week, pre-professional visual and performing arts training program for high school students held each summer at the California Institute of the ...
in 1998 for theater studies. In his high school years, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti, and being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from department stores and sold them to classmates. These arrests led to Franco briefly becoming a
ward of the state In law, a ward is a minor or incapacitated adult placed under the protection of a legal guardian or government entity, such as a court. Such a person may be referenced as a "ward of the court". Overview The wardship jurisdiction is an ancient ju ...
. Facing the possibility of juvenile hall, he was given a second chance by the judge. He recalled of his troubles with the law, "It was teen angst. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I was shy. I changed my ways just in time to get good grades." Although the idea of becoming a
marine zoologist 01 or '01 may refer to: * The year 2001, or any year ending with 01 * The month of January * 1 (number) Music * 01'' (Richard Müller album), 2001 * ''01'' (Son of Dave album), 2000 * ''01'' (Urban Zakapa album), 2011 * ''O1'' (Hiroyuki Sawa ...
interested him, Franco had always secretly wanted to become an actor but feared being rejected. He enrolled at the
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the Californ ...
(UCLA) as an English major, but dropped out after his first year (against his parents' wishes) to pursue a career as an actor, since he would have had to wait two years to audition for their acting program. He instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West. Around this time, he took up a late-night job at
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
to support himself because his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian for the year prior to working there. While working at the establishment, he would practice accents on customers, an experience he remembered nostalgically in a 2015 ''Washington Post'' editorial titled "McDonald's was there for me when no one else was".


Acting career


1997–2001

After 15 months of training, Franco began auditioning in Los Angeles. His first paid role was a television commercial for
Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and desse ...
, featuring a dancing
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
. He found guest roles on television shows but his first break came in 1999, after he was cast in a leading role on the short-lived but well-reviewed NBC television series '' Freaks and Geeks'', which ran for 18 episodes and was canceled due to low viewership. Later, the show became a
cult hit A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
among audiences. He has since described the series as "one of the most fun" work experiences that he has had. In another interview, Franco said: "When we were doing ''Freaks and Geeks'', I didn't quite understand how movies and TV worked, and I would improvise even if the camera wasn't on me ... So I was improvising a little bit back then, but not in a productive way." After his film debut '' Never Been Kissed'', he played a popular jock Chris in '' Whatever It Takes'' (2000), a modern-day remake of the 1897 play '' Cyrano de Bergerac''. He was subsequently cast as the title role in director
Mark Rydell Mark Rydell (born Mortimer H. Rydell; March 23, 1929) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has directed several Academy Award-nominated films including '' The Fox'' (1967), '' The Reivers'' (1969), ''Cinderella Liberty'' (1973) ...
's 2001 TV biographical film '' James Dean''. To immerse himself in the role, Franco went from being a non-smoker to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, bleached his dark brown hair blond, and learned to ride a motorcycle as well as play guitar and the bongos. To have a greater understanding of Dean, Franco spent hours with two of Dean's associates. Other research included reading books on Dean and studying his movies. While filming ''James Dean'', Franco, to get into character, cut off communication with his family and friends, as well as his then-girlfriend. "It was a very lonely existence," he notes. "If I wasn't on a set, I was watching James Dean. That was my whole thinking. James Dean. James Dean." Despite already being a fan of Dean, Franco feared he might be typecast if he'd captured the actor too convincingly. Ken Tucker of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' wrote: "Franco could have walked through the role and done a passable Dean, but instead gets under the skin of this insecure, rootless young man." He received a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
and nominations for an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
and a
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
(SAG).


2002–2007

Franco achieved worldwide fame and attention in the 2002 superhero film '' Spider-Man'', when he played Harry Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Goblin ( Willem Dafoe) and best friend of Spider-Man ( Tobey Maguire). Originally, Franco was considered for the lead role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the film. Todd McCarthy of '' Variety'' noted that there are "good moments" between Maguire and Franco in the film. ''Spider-Man'' was a commercial and critical success. The movie grossed $114 million during its opening weekend in North America and went on to earn $822 million worldwide. He next starred in ''
Sonny Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...
'', a 2002 release in which he was directed by fellow actor Nicolas Cage, whose involvement had attracted Franco to the film. Set in 1980s New Orleans, ''Sonny'' follows the titular character (Franco) returning home after just being discharged from the Army. To prepare for his role, he met with sex workers or people who had previously been prostitutes. The movie was panned by critics, with the ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...
s Lou Lumenick calling it an "instant candidate for worst movie of the year". Franco was cast as a homeless drug addict in the drama ''
City by the Sea ''City by the Sea'' is a 2002 American crime drama film starring Robert De Niro, James Franco, Eliza Dushku, Frances McDormand and William Forsythe. It deals with the family problems of a wayward youth and is set against a man trying to break ...
'' (2002) after co-star
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
saw a snippet of his work in ''James Dean''. He lived on the streets for several days to better understand the subject matter as well as talking to former or still-using drug addicts. He also co-starred with Neve Campbell in Robert Altman's ballet movie ''
The Company ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (2003). The success of the first ''Spider-Man'' film led Franco to reprise the role in the 2004 sequel, '' Spider-Man 2''. The movie was well received by critics, and it proved to be a big financial success, setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America. With revenue of $783 million worldwide, it became the second highest-grossing film in 2004. The following year he made and starred in the
black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to disc ...
'' The Ape'' and the 2005 war film '' The Great Raid'', in which he portrayed Robert Prince, a captain in the United States Army's elite Sixth Ranger Battalion. In 2006, Franco co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in ''
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
'' and played legendary hero
Tristan Tristan ( Latin/Brythonic: ''Drustanus''; cy, Trystan), also known as Tristram or Tristain and similar names, is the hero of the legend of Tristan and Iseult. In the legend, he is tasked with escorting the Irish princess Iseult to wed ...
in '' Tristan & Isolde'', a period piece dramatization of the Tristan and Iseult story also starring British actress
Sophia Myles Sophia Jane Myles (; born 18 March 1980) is an English actress. She is best known in film for portraying Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward in ''Thunderbirds'' (2004), Isolde in '' Tristan & Isolde'' (2006), Darcy in '' Transformers: Age of Extinctio ...
. For the former, he did eight months of boxing training and for the latter, he practiced horseback riding and sword fighting. He then completed training for his
Private Pilot Licence A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration). The licence requirements are det ...
in preparation for his role in '' Flyboys'', which was released in September 2006; the same month, Franco appeared briefly in '' The Wicker Man'', the remake of the seminal horror film. Also in 2006, he made a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
in the romantic comedy '' The Holiday''. He again played Harry Osborn in '' Spider-Man 3'' (2007). In contrast to the previous two films' positive reviews, ''Spider-Man 3'' was met with a mixed reception by critics. Nonetheless, with a total worldwide gross of $891 million, it stands as the most successful film in the series, and Franco's highest-grossing film to date. In this same year, Franco made a cameo appearance as himself in the Apatow-directed comedy '' Knocked Up'', which starred ''Freaks and Geeks'' alumni Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. Franco co-starred with
Sienna Miller Sienna Rosie Diana Miller (born December 28, 1981) is an American-British actress. Born in New York City and raised in London, she began her career as a photography model, appearing in the pages of Italian ''Vogue'' and for the 2003 Pirelli ca ...
in the low-budget
independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
'' Camille'', a dark fantasy dramedy about a young newlywed couple and ''
Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...
'', where he appears in a voice only role, both 2007 movies that were ignored by audiences and critics alike. Among his other 2007 projects were '' Good Time Max'', which Franco wrote, directed and starred in. The movie premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and tells the story of two talented brothers who take very diverse paths in life, one going on to become a doctor whilst the other sibling (Franco) experiences unemployment and uses drugs. The actor chose to cast himself in that role because, "It was really just a process of elimination. I was better suited for this role than the responsible surgeon".


2008–2010

He next starred in '' Pineapple Express'' (2008), a stoner comedy co-starring and co-written by Seth Rogen and produced by Judd Apatow. Of Franco's character, Apatow said, "You tell him, 'Okay, you're going to play a pot dealer', and he comes back with a three-dimensional character you totally believe exists. He takes it very seriously, even when it's comedy". In her ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' review, critic Manohla Dargis wrote: "He's delightful as Saul, loosey-goosey and goofy yet irrepressibly sexy, despite that greasy curtain of hair and a crash pad with a zero WAF (Woman Acceptance Factor). It's an unshowy, generous performance and it greatly humanizes a movie that, as it shifts genre gears and cranks up the noise, becomes disappointingly sober and self-serious". His performance earned him a second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. He has stated in some interviews that he no longer uses
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
(although he has occasionally alluded to smoking it, most notably during an extended segment on ''
The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show fo ...
''). He was awarded ''
High Times ''High Times'' is an American monthly magazine (and cannabis brand) that advocates the legalization of cannabis as well as other counterculture ideas. The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade.Danko, Danny"Norml Founder Retires – Exhal ...
'' magazine's Stoner of the Year Award for his work in ''Pineapple Express''. In 2008 he also appeared in two films by American artist Carter, exhibited at the Yvon Lambert gallery in Paris. On September 20, 2008, he hosted the sketch comedy show ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' (''SNL''), and a second time on December 19, 2009. Franco starred with
Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch, in
Gus Van Sant Gus Green Van Sant Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American film director, producer, photographer, and musician. He has earned acclaim as both an independent and mainstream filmmaker. His films typically deal with themes of marginalized subcultu ...
's ''
Milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulat ...
'' (2008). In the film he plays Scott Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk (Penn). Kenneth Turan of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'', in review of the film, wrote: "Franco is a nice match for him ennas the lover who finally has enough of political life". For his performance in the film, Franco won the Independent Spirit Award in the category for Best Supporting Actor. In late 2009 he joined the cast of the daytime soap opera ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
'' on a recurring basis. He plays Franco, a multimedia artist much like himself, who comes to Port Charles to do an art exhibition and becomes obsessed with Jason Morgan ( Steve Burton). Franco has called his ''General Hospital'' role
performance art Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
. Franco began 2010 by making an appearance on the sitcom '' 30 Rock'' where he played himself and carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney ( Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted by their respective agents. After appearing in the commercial successes '' Date Night'', an action comedy, and '' Eat Pray Love'', an adaption of a novel, Franco played poet
Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...
in the drama '' Howl'', released on September 24. The latter, about his most known poem and the trial about the work, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and earned modest reviews. In his next project, '' 127 Hours'', directed by Danny Boyle, Franco portrayed real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston. It was given a limited release starting on November 5, 2010. ''127 Hours'' centered on Ralston trying to free his hand after it became trapped under a boulder in a ravine while canyoneering alone in
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...
and resorting to desperate measures in order to survive, eventually amputating his arm. During the five-week, 12-hours-per-day shoot, Franco would only leave the gully set to use the lavatory and would read books such as academic textbooks to keep busy. Franco later called making ''127 Hours'' a once-in-a-lifetime experience.2011
Independent Spirit Awards The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic gla ...
To date, ''127 Hours'' is one of his most well-reviewed movies and was also a commercial success, earning $60.7 million against an $18 million budget. His performance earned him universal acclaim from critics. Subsequently, he was nominated for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, Golden Globe and SAG award, as well as winning an Independent Spirit Award.


2011–present

On February 23, 2011, Franco made a cameo appearance on NBC's '' Minute to Win It'' where the real-life Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity. After having an uncredited cameo in the opening scene of ''
The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of med ...
'' (2011), he starred opposite
Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
and Danny McBride in the
Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
fantasy comedy '' Your Highness''. In the film, he plays Fabious, a prince who teams up with his brother (McBride) to rescue the soon to be bride of Fabious (played by Zooey Deschanel). In May 2010, he was cast to star in Rupert Wyatt's $93 million budgeted '' Rise of the Planet of the Apes'', a reboot of the ''
Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control. The franchise is based on Frenc ...
'' series which was released on August 5. Franco starred alongside Winona Ryder in '' The Letter'', originally entitled ''The Stare'', directed by Jay Anania. He was cast as a drug-addicted lawyer in ''
About Cherry ''About Cherry'' is a 2012 drama film and the directorial debut of Stephen Elliott. It is based on a script written by Elliott and porn industry veteran Lorelei Lee. It stars Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham, and Dev Patel. The project ...
'', also starring Heather Graham, which started shooting the following month in California. He dropped out of the indie film ''While We're Young'' to star in ''
Oz the Great and Powerful ''Oz the Great and Powerful'' is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner from a story by Kapner. Based on L. Frank Baum's early 20th century ''Oz'' novels and set 20 y ...
'', a
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
prequel to L. Frank Baum's '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900). Filming began in July 2011, and the film was released on March 8, 2013. He has signed to do a sequel to it. At the end of September 2010, the actor acquired the rights to Stephen Elliott's ''The Adderall Diaries'', with the intention to adapt, direct, and star in the film. It was announced in January 2011 that the actor has planned to not only star in, but direct himself in ''The Night Stalker'', a film version of author
Philip Carlo Philip Carlo (April 18, 1949 – November 8, 2010) was an American journalist and best selling biographer of Thomas Pitera, Richard Kuklinski, Anthony Casso, and Richard Ramirez. Carlo had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as "Lo ...
's book about the 1980s serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Co-screenwriter of the screenplay, Nicholas Constantine, was initially unconvinced that Franco would be right for the movie, until he learned of Franco's desire to be a director and later watched three of his short films, one of which featured a serial killer, ultimately confirming to the writer that the actor had a darker side. Franco also directed a film version of William Faulkner's novel '' As I Lay Dying''; the
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...
was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the
2013 Cannes Film Festival The 66th Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013. Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and ...
. In late 2013, Franco starred in '' This Is the End'' as a fictionalized version of himself stuck in a house during an apocalypse with Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, and Danny McBride, also fictionalized versions of themselves. In February 2012, Franco began shooting a film version of
Cormac McCarthy Cormac McCarthy (born Charles Joseph McCarthy Jr., July 20, 1933) is an American writer who has written twelve novels, two plays, five screenplays and three short stories, spanning the Western and post-apocalyptic genres. He is known for his g ...
's 1973 novella '' Child of God'', which stars Scott Haze as Lester Ballard. The film chronicles the depraved and violent impulses of the young Tennessee backwoodsman after he is dispossessed of his ancestral land. Child of God was selected in official competition at the 70th Venice Film Festival, an official selection to the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and an official selection to the prestigious 51st New York Film Festival. In 2013, Franco starred as the gangster "Alien" in Harmony Korine's '' Spring Breakers,'' with Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez,
Ashley Benson Ashley Victoria Benson (born December 18, 1989) is an American actress, model, and singer. She is known for her role as Hanna Marin in the teen mystery-drama series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017). Benson has starred in films, including ' ...
,
Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeez ...
and
Rachel Korine Rachel Anna Korine (née Simon) is an American former actress. Married to director Harmony Korine, she is best known for starring as Cotty in the 2013 crime film ''Spring Breakers'' and Betsy in '' Men Go to Battle'' (2015), Junia in ''The Knick' ...
. A24 films began a campaign in September 2013 in support of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Franco's performance. In March 2013, it was announced that Franco was set to make his 2014 Broadway stage debut in the role of George in a revival of John Steinbeck's '' Of Mice and Men''. In October 2013, Franco appeared in the music video for " City of Angels" by Thirty Seconds to Mars. On March 8, 2013, Franco received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard. In April 2014, Franco directed and appeared in "Techno Color Sunglasses", which promoted Gucci's eyewear collection. In December, Franco starred in the controversial Sony comedy thriller, ''
The Interview ''The Interview'' is a 2014 satirical alternate history action-comedy film co-produced and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their second directorial work, following ''This Is the End'' (2013). The screenplay was written by Dan Ster ...
'', a film which played a central role in the real world diplomatic relations between the United States and North Korea as they related to the 2014 Sony hacking incident. In April 2015, two of his projects, titled ''
I Am Michael ''I Am Michael'' is a 2015 American biographical drama film written and directed by Justin Kelly. Based on the journalist Benoit Denizet-Lewis' '' New York Times Magazine'' article "My Ex-Gay Friend", the film stars James Franco, Zachary Quint ...
'' and '' True Story'', were shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. In ''I Am Michael'', Franco plays a gay activist who rejects his homosexuality and becomes a conservative Christian pastor with a girlfriend. In ''True Story'', based on a true story, Franco played
Christian Longo Christian Michael Longo (born January 23, 1974) is a convicted murderer who killed his wife and three children in Oregon. Background Originating from Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, Longo married Mary Jane Baker at age 19 and had three children ...
, a man who was on the FBI's most wanted list for murdering his wife and three children in Oregon, and who had also been hiding under the identity of Michael Finkel, a journalist played by
Jonah Hill Jonah Hill Feldstein (born December 20, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is known for his comedic roles in films including '' Superbad'' (2007), ''Knocked Up'' (2007), '' 21 Jump Street'' (2012), '' This Is the End'' (201 ...
. In 2015, Franco was cast in the lead role for the
Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
'' 11.22.63'' which is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The eight-episode series premiered on February 15, 2016. In 2016, Franco co-produced and starred in '' King Cobra'', a true story about the rise of gay pornographic actor
Brent Corrigan Sean Paul Lockhart (born October 31, 1986) is an American film actor and director, known for ''Milk'' (2008), '' Judas Kiss'' (2011), and '' Triple Crossed'' (2013). Lockhart started his career as a gay pornographic film actor mostly using the ...
and the murder of
Bryan Kocis Bryan Charles Kocis (May 28, 1962 – January 24, 2007), also known as Bryan Phillips, was a director of gay pornographic films and founder of Cobra Video, a gay porn film studio. Kocis was murdered at his Dallas Township, Pennsylvania, home ...
. Franco played Joseph Kerekes who (along with his partner) was convicted of the murder. In the comedy ''
Why Him? ''Why Him?'' is a 2016 American buddy comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, co-written by Ian Helfer, and starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston with Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullally, Griffin Gluck and Keegan-Michael Key in supporting ...
'', released in December 2016, Franco played an immature tech-billionaire whose girlfriend's conservative father tries to intervene in the couple's relationship, with Zoey Deutch playing the girlfriend and Bryan Cranston as her father. He briefly appeared in the ''
Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
'' prequel, '' Alien: Covenant'', alongside friend and frequent collaborator Danny McBride, and
Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender (born 2 April 1977) is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Award ...
and
Noomi Rapace Noomi Rapace (; ; born 28 December 1979) is a Swedish actress.Karen Olsson, ''The New York Times Magazine'', 27 May 2012, p. 26. She achieved international fame with her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the ''Mil ...
. He played Branson, the captain of the Covenant ship and husband to Daniels, played by
Katherine Waterston Katherine Boyer Waterston (born March 3, 1980) is a British-American actress. She made her feature film debut in '' Michael Clayton'' (2007). She had supporting roles in films including ''Robot & Frank,'' '' Being Flynn'' (both 2012) and ''The ...
. The film was released on May 19, 2017. In 2016, Franco directed, co-produced, and starred in '' The Disaster Artist'', the film adaptation of actor
Greg Sestero Gregory Sestero (born July 15, 1978) is an American actor, filmmaker, model and author, best known for his role as Mark in the 2003 cult film ''The Room'', as well as for his well-received memoir ''The Disaster Artist'', detailing his experiences ...
's non-fiction book of the same name, about the making of '' The Room'', which is considered to be one of worst films ever made. In the film, Franco portrayed the film's star, director, screenwriter, and producer Tommy Wiseau, while Franco's brother,
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
, portrayed Sestero. Franco remained in character as Wiseau throughout the entirety of the shoot. ''The Disaster Artist'' was released on December 1, 2017, to positive reviews, while his portrayal of Wiseau gained near-universal praise. His performance won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. At the end of 2017, Franco, almost 40, said he was slowing down to focus on himself. On December 23, 2021, Franco gave his first interview in nearly four years when he appeared on an episode of the ''Jess Cagle Podcast''. In August 2022, Franco was cast as Fidel Castro in '' Alina in Cuba'', a casting decision that was supported by Fidel Castro's daughter.


Other projects

Franco produced and directed a documentary titled ''Saturday Night'' documenting a week in the production of an episode of ''SNL''. The film began as a short for an
NYU New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...
class but grew due to his two episodes as host, while short stories he wrote for other classes appeared in ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' and ''
McSweeney's McSweeney's Publishing is an American non-profit publishing house founded by Dave Eggers in 1998 and headquartered in San Francisco. Initially publishing the literary journal'' Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern'', the company has moved t ...
''. In summer 2010, the fictional Franco from ''General Hospital'' held an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, while the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum based on his experiences on the soap opera. In 2008, Franco was named as the face of
Gucci Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragranc ...
's men's fragrance line. His short films as director ''The Feast of Stephen'' and ''Herbert White'' were both presented within Maryland Film Festival in May 2010. Another of his short movies, ''The Clerk's Tale'', was screened in competition at the Hamptons Film Festival at the end of 2010. In June 2010, James Franco presented his first solo exhibition, "The Dangerous Book Four Boys", presented at The Clocktower Gallery in New York City. Curated by Alanna Heiss, the show featured video, drawings, sculptures and installation. On October 19, 2010, Scribner published a collection of short stories, '' Palo Alto'', by Franco. The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at
Brooklyn College , mottoeng = Nothing without great effort , established = , parent = CUNY , type = Public university , endowment = $98.0 million (2019) , budget = $123.96 m ...
. Inspired by some of Franco's own teenage memories ''Palo Alto'', and memories written and submitted by high school students at Palo Alto Senior High School, consists of life in Palo Alto as experienced by a series of teenagers who spend most of their time indulging in driving drunk, smoking marijuana, and taking part in unplanned acts of violence. Each passage is told by a young narrator. The book has received mixed reviews; ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' called it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance". ''The Guardian'' reported that Franco's "foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source". Writing in ''The New York Times'', reviewer and fellow author Joshua Mohr praised Franco for how, in the story "American History", he juxtaposed historical parts with a present-day social commentary that "makes the we wonder how much we've actually evolved in post-bellum America". At least one editor of a literary journal testified he would not publish Franco's stories, claiming he has been published due to his star power, not literary talent. ''Publishers Weekly'' reviewed the collection, stating "The author fails to find anything remotely insightful to say in these 11 amazingly underwhelming stories". In January 2011, Franco screened his multimedia project, entitled ''Three's Company The Drama'', in which he merges video and art to update the Three's Company, titular sitcom, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Franco reunited with ''Milk'' director Van Sant to make ''Unfinished'', a project that features two movies: ''Endless Idaho'' and ''My Own Private River''. ''Endless Idaho'' showcases edited outtakes, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage from the 1991 movie ''My Own Private Idaho'', while ''My Own Private River'' focuses on actor River Phoenix. The idea for the exhibition was conceived after Van Sant introduced unused footage from the 1991 film to Franco, inspiring him to turn it into something more. ''Unfinished'' opened from February 26 to April 9 at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills. On February 27, 2011, he and Anne Hathaway hosted the 83rd Academy Awards. The two were selected to help the awards show achieve its goal of attracting a younger audience. Franco had previously said that he accepted the job for the experience and because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Numerous media viewers criticized Franco for his discontent and lack of energy on stage and the show was widely panned, with some reviewers dubbing it the worst telecast in its history. The actor later spoke about his hosting in an interview on the ''Late Show with David Letterman''. He explained that when accepting the job he never had high hopes, adding "It was never on my list of things to do. It doesn't mean I didn't care and it doesn't mean I didn't try, right?" Regarding allegations that he was under the influence of marijuana while hosting, Franco commented "I think the Tasmanian Devil (Looney Tunes), Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway. She has a lot of energy!" He concluded that he tried his best and could have had "low energy" during the telecast. In May, Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut at New York's Stella Adler Studios, where he narrated all the performances. Entitled "Collage" and described as a "mixed-media piece", the show featured live dance, theater, music, and poetry. Tickets were free but were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The actor also directed two short films for songs ("Blue" and "That Someone Is You") by R.E.M. from their album ''Collapse into Now'' (2011). Franco continued his career as a filmmaker with ''The Broken Tower (film), The Broken Tower'', a 90-minute docudrama shot in black and white about poet Hart Crane, who committed suicide by jumping off the steamship ''USS Orizaba, SS Orizaba''. It originally started out as his master's thesis. It was screened at 2011's Los Angeles Film Festival among more than 200 feature films, short projects, and music videos from more than 30 countries. It was released on DVD in 2012. In 2011, Franco taught a graduate-level film course at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He has also taught film classes at University of Southern California, USC and UCLA, as well as a screenwriting class on the online learning community Skillshare. For his students' film projects, Franco has helped to attract actors, including Seth MacFarlane, Kate Mara,
Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
, Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Wiig and Olivia Wilde. Franco developed an aptitude for art—painting in particular—during his high school years while attending the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA). Franco has said painting was the "outlet" he needed in high school, and he "has actually been painting longer than he has been acting". His paintings were displayed publicly for the first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles, from January 7, through February 11, 2006. He launched his first European art exhibition in 2011 at Peres Projects in Berlin. In September 2012, Franco announced the release of his band Daddy's first single ''Love in the Old Days'' and their first EP ''MotorCity.'' On July 9, 2013, Franco announced that he would be the featured roast (comedy), roastee on the next ''Comedy Central Roast''. The roast aired on September 2, 2013. In February 2014, Franco wrote an article in ''The New York Times'' in support of the metamodernism, metamodernist performance art of Shia LaBeouf, describing LaBeouf's project as one "in which a young man in a very public profession tries to reclaim his public persona". In April 2014, the literary publisher Graywolf Press issued Franco's first collection of poetry, ''Directing Herbert White''. The title alludes to a poem (made by Franco into a 2010 short film) by Frank Bidart, who has served as friend and mentor to Franco.


In the media

Viewed as a sex symbol, Franco was named the Sexiest Man Living in 2009 by ''Salon (website), Salon''. There has often been frequent media coverage of Franco, particularly regarding his interest in going to colleges. In addition to that, Franco has also claimed to have been strongly misquoted by reports in the media and news outlets reporting erroneous information about him. This led to the actor being parodied in an episode of ''SNL''s Weekend Update segment, which an ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' writer deemed "clever". In a 2011 interview, he stated: Franco has deliberately garnered a reputation for publishing "selfies" and wrote an explanatory article for ''The New York Times'' in December 2013. He stated: In April 2012, ''Shalom Life'' ranked Franco and his brother, Dave, together as number two on its list of 50 talented and attractive Jewish men. In 2013, Franco was featured as the cover model and featured focus in the men's magazine ''Man of the World''. In other forms of media, a Chicago-based theater company, Under the Gun Theater, developed a show inspired by and titled after Franco. The 2015 production of ''Dear James Franco'' used, parodied and deconstructed letters penned to or by celebrities. The performances used Improvisational theatre, improvisation to satirize their subject matter.


Personal life


Religion

Franco has described himself as Jewish; regarding his secular upbringing, he told ''The Guardian'' that he feels as if he has "missed out on the Jewish experience", but has been told not to worry about that by his Jewish friends and said in the same interview that he likes "the idea of religion as a source of community". When asked if he was a "believer", he responded, "In God? I don't know. Yes. To a certain extent. It's a complicated question." In 2015, he had an official Bar and Bat Mitzvah, bar mitzvah ceremony, presided over by a rabbi.


Relationships and sexuality

Due to his support for the LGBT community and his portrayal of gay characters in his projects, Franco's sexuality has been a subject of discussion in media sources. In a March 2015 interview with ''Four Two Nine'' magazine, Franco again opened up about his sexuality, stating, "In the twenties and thirties, they used to define homosexuality by how you acted and not by whom you slept with. Sailors would fuck guys all the time, but as long as they behaved in masculine ways, they weren't considered gay. Well, I like to think that I'm gay in my art and straight in my life." After meeting on the set of '' Whatever It Takes'' in 1999, Franco dated co-star Marla Sokoloff for five years. He was later in a relationship with actress Ahna O'Reilly until 2011. He confirmed their separation in an interview for ''Playboy'' magazine's August 2011 issue, saying that his interest in education got between them.


Education

Franco, dissatisfied with his career's direction, reenrolled at UCLA in autumn 2006 as an English studies, English major with a creative writing concentration. He received permission to take as many as 62 course credits per academic quarter (year division), quarter compared to the normal limit of 19, while still continuing to act, receiving many of his credits from independent study for his involvement on the set of ''Spider-Man 3''. He received his undergraduate degree in June 2008 with a Academic grading in the United States#Grade point average, GPA of 3.5/4.0. For his degree, Franco prepared his departmental honors thesis as a novel under the supervision of Mona Simpson (novelist), Mona Simpson. Franco was selected as the commencement speaker at UCLA, and was to speak at the ceremony on June 12, 2009. Several months before commencement, an editorial in the student newspaper questioned his "caliber" and a student created a Facebook page protesting the choice. On June 3, Franco withdrew, citing a date conflict with location pre-production on a film. On January 26, 2011, Franco and the ''Harvard Lampoon'' released a satirical video on prominent comedy website Funny or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation. Franco moved to New York to simultaneously attend graduate school at Columbia University School of the Arts for writing,
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
's Tisch School of the Arts for filmmaking, and
Brooklyn College , mottoeng = Nothing without great effort , established = , parent = CUNY , type = Public university , endowment = $98.0 million (2019) , budget = $123.96 m ...
for fiction writing, while also attending the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, low-residency MFA Program for Writers at North Carolina's Warren Wilson College for poetry. He received his M.F.A. from Columbia in 2010. As of 2010, Franco was studying in the Ph.D. program in English at Yale University. He has also attended the Rhode Island School of Design. In an interview with ''Showbiz411'', on September 23, 2010, Franco made the erroneous public announcement that he received a "D" grade in "Acting" class at the NYU Graduate Film School. He had, in fact, received that grade in a "Directing the Actor" class. Franco's professor, José Angel Santana, alleged that Franco did not earn his grades while attending that school and stated that Franco only received high marks and a degree because of his celebrity status as an actor. Franco made unfavorable comments about Santana's teaching. In September 2012, after having been terminated from his position Santana filed a lawsuit against Franco for defamation; Santana claimed that Franco's comments were false and had led to his termination. In September 2013, Franco and Santana settled the defamation lawsuit. "The matter has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties," said Santana's attorney Matthew J. Blit, Matthew Blit. Franco defended himself on the ''Howard Stern Show'', stating that he had told the professor before the semester began that he would have to miss most classes to film '' 127 Hours'' and that they had agreed that Franco would receive a "D" in the course. In March 2013, Franco was featured in half-page print advertisements for his alma mater UCLA which celebrated the university's famous alumnus as a "prolific academic" and carried the tagline: "Some A-Listers Actually Get A's".


Sexual misconduct accusations and lawsuit

In 2014, a seventeen-year-old girl posted screenshots of alleged messages between her and Franco on Instagram. The messages showed that Franco, then aged 35, tried to meet her in a hotel room after she told him she was seventeen. He sent multiple pictures of himself to prove his real identity. Franco admitted on ''Live with Kelly and Ryan, Live! With Kelly and Michael'' that he had written the messages. Though his actions were legal, given the age of consent in New York is seventeen, he was the subject of media backlash due to the wide age gap. He initially responded to the scandal by tweeting, "I HOPE PARENTS KEEP THEIR TEENS AWAY FROM ME. Thank you." He later stated he was "embarrassed" and that "I learned my lesson." At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, 2018 Golden Globe Awards, Franco wore a Time's Up (organization), Time's Up pin in solidarity with the MeToo movement, to protest sexual harassment against women. His pin drew criticism on social media from actress Ally Sheedy, who hinted she had quit acting after working with Franco on a play. A former girlfriend, Violet Paley, also alleged that he once forced her to give him oral sex in a car while they were dating. On January 9, 2018, ''The New York Times'', citing the allegations, canceled a planned event with Franco. On January 10, Franco said on ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' that the accusations made against him on Twitter were "not accurate". On January 11, 2018, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' reported that five women were accusing Franco of inappropriate or sexually exploitative behavior during the period when Franco was serving as their acting teacher or mentor. One former student stated that Franco "would always make everybody think there were possible roles on the table if we were to perform sexual acts or take off our shirts" in his projects. Another alleged that Franco held a sex scenes class and removed students' vaginal guards while simulating oral sex with them. Franco's attorney, Michael Plonsker, disputed the women's' allegations. In her 2018 memoir, Busy Philipps puts forth an account in which Franco screamed at her before violently shoving her to the ground while on the set of ''Freaks and Geeks''. On October 3, 2019, two former students of Franco's now-closed film and acting school, Studio 4, filed a lawsuit against him and his partners. According to ''The New York Times'', the complaint alleged that the program "was little more than a scheme to provide him and his male collaborators with a pool of young female performers that they could take advantage of." The case claimed that pupils were subjected to "sexually exploitative auditions and film shoots" and had to sign away their rights to the recordings. The litigants sought unspecified monetary damages as well as the return or destruction of any questionable material. Franco has denied the plaintiffs' claims through his attorney. On February 21, 2021, it was reported that the lawsuit was settled and that, according to documents filed on February 11, both students had agreed to drop their individual claims. The deal was submitted for preliminary court approval by March 15, 2021. In June 2021, terms of the settlement were revealed, and it was disclosed that Franco, pending a judge's approval, would pay more than $2.2 million to resolve two different legal disputes: one by the two women who cited sexual exploitation (they will receive $894,000), and another class-action plaint by approximately 1,500 Studio 4 students who maintain that they were defrauded. A joint statement by the plaintiffs and defendants reads in part: "While Defendants continue to deny the allegations in the Complaint, they acknowledge that Plaintiffs have raised important issues; and all parties strongly believe that now is a critical time to focus on addressing the mistreatment of women in Hollywood." Actor Charlyne Yi, who worked with Franco on '' The Disaster Artist'', claimed in April 2021 that after trying to quit the film over the allegations, they were offered a bigger role by filmmakers. Yi viewed this enticement as an attempted bribe, and also accused Franco's long-time co-star Seth Rogen of enabling his behavior. A month later, Rogen commented on the allegations against Franco, expressing doubts that he would ever work with him again. On December 23, 2021, Franco admitted to having sex with students and having been in treatment for sex addiction since 2016, though he did not address other forms of sexual exploitation.


Philanthropy

Franco has volunteered at the charity Art of Elysium, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He said the experience helped save his life. In January 2011, at the Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, Franco was honored for his work at the hospital, receiving the Spirit of Elysium accolade. On March 31, 2011, the actor took part in "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington D.C. dinner benefit for 826 National, 826DC, a non-profit after-school literature program. Franco became involved with Dave Eggers' 826 National after Eggers asked him to do a conceptual idea for the program, and he directed a documentary for them and has since been a supporter of them. At the event, he spoke about how he thought schools needed to be more original with their literature programs. "Writing can do things that video cannot", he added. In April 2011, Franco autographed a T-shirt that would be auctioned off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds being donated for 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Japanese tsunami relief. On June 14, he was honored by amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research, at the Museum of Modern Art. Franco received the Piaget Award of Inspiration for his humanitarian work and contributions to men's style. In April 2013, Franco received the Ally Award at the 15th annual Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The award was presented to him in recognition of his unwavering support of the LGBT community. In April 2014, Franco presented at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition with Leighton Meester and Chris O'Dowd, after raising donations at his Broadway theatre, Broadway show '' Of Mice and Men''. In June 2014, Franco performed in the BC/EFA benefit Broadway Bares.


Filmography and awards


Selected works

* Franco, James.
A Star, a Soap and the Meaning of Art
. ''The Wall Street Journal'', December 4, 2009. * Franco, James.
Just Before the Black
. ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'', March 24, 2010. * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Discography


Albums

* 2011: ''Turn It Up'' EP – collaboration with Kalup Linzy * 2012: ''MotorCity'' EP – with Tim O'Keefe, as the duo "Daddy" * 2016: ''Let Me Get What I Want'' – with Tim O'Keefe, as the duo "Daddy"


Music on other albums

* 2013: "Hanging with Da Dopeboys" – featuring DangeRuss from album '' Spring Breakers: Music from the Motion Picture'' * 2013: "I Love You" – featuring Kalup Linzy from album ''Romantic Loner'' * 2015: "11/22/63"


Stage


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Franco, James 1978 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American writers American male film actors American male television actors American male screenwriters American male soap opera actors American male video game actors American people of Portuguese descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American people of Swedish descent Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Brooklyn College alumni California Institute of the Arts faculty Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Film directors from California Film producers from California Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead winners Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male winners Jewish American male actors Jewish American writers LGBT rights activists from the United States Male actors from Palo Alto, California New York University faculty Palo Alto High School alumni People of Madeiran descent Rhode Island School of Design alumni Tisch School of the Arts alumni Screenwriters from California UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television faculty USC School of Cinematic Arts faculty University of California, Los Angeles alumni Warren Wilson College alumni Writers from the San Francisco Bay Area Yale University alumni