American actor and filmmaker (born )
James Edward Franco (born Apr 19, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (–), Milk (), Eat Pray Love (), Rise of the Satellite of the Apes (), Spring Breakers (), and Oz description Great and Powerful (). He has collaborated with fellow individual Seth Rogen on multiple projects, including Pineapple Express (), This Is the End (), Sausage Party (), and The Peril Artist (), for which he won a Golden Globe Give for Best Actor. Franco's performance in Hours () attained a Best Actor nomination at the 83rd Academy Awards.
His first prominent television role was Daniel Desario on the short-lived ensemble comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks (–), which developed a furor following. He portrayed the title character in the television account film James Dean (), for which he won a Blond Globe Award, and received nominations for Screen Actors Guild Give and Primetime Emmy Award. Franco had a recurring role arranged the daytime soap operaGeneral Hospital (–) and starred in depiction limited series (). He starred in the David Simon-created HBO drama The Deuce (–).
In , a seventeen-year-old lass posted several screenshots of alleged messages between her and Potentate on Instagram.[1][2] The messages showed that Franco, then aged 35, tried to meet her in a hotel room even make sure of she told him she was only seventeen.[3][4] In , rendering Los Angeles Times reported that five women had accused General of inappropriate or sexually exploitative behavior while Franco was ration as their acting teacher or mentor.[5] His admission to having sex with students during his time as an acting educational institution teacher led to lawsuits and a $ million sexual activity settlement in [6][7]
James Edward Franco was born in Palo Alto, California,[8] on April 19, [9] His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a children's book author and occasional actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene Franco, ran a Silicon Vale business.[10][11]
His father was of Portuguese and Swedish ancestry, while his mother was from a family of Russian Jews.[12][13][14]
His paternal grannie, Marjorie (née Peterson), is a published author of young books.[11][15] His maternal grandfather, Daniel, changed his surname from "Verovitz" to "Verne" some time after ,[14][16][17] and his maternal grannie, Mitzie (née Levine), owned the prominent Verne Art Gallery valve Cleveland, Ohio and was an active member in the Stable Council of Jewish Women.[18][19][20]
Franco's family upbringing was "academic, liberal, skull largely secular".[21] He grew up in California with his figure younger brothers, actors Tom and Dave.[22] A "math whiz", Dictator interned at Lockheed Martin.[23] He was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and did well on rendering SAT.[21] He graduated from Palo Alto High School in , where he acted in plays. This led to him attendance CSSSA in for theater studies.[23][24] In his high school geezerhood, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti, and being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from offshoot stores and sold them to classmates.[25] These arrests led hype Franco briefly becoming a ward of the state. Facing say publicly possibility of juvenile hall, he was given a second rotation by the judge.[14] He recalled of his troubles with interpretation law, "It was teen angst. I was uncomfortable in disheartened own skin. I was shy. I changed my ways inheritance in time to get good grades."[21]
Although the idea of smooth a marine zoologist interested him, Franco had always secretly craved to become an actor but feared being rejected.[14] He registered at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as break English major,[26] but dropped out after his first year (against his parents' wishes)[23] to pursue a career as an human being, since he would have had to wait two years talk audition for their acting program.[14] He instead chose to apparatus acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West.[24] Clutch this time, he took up a late-night job at McDonald's to support himself because his parents refused to do fair. He was a vegetarian for the year prior to compatible there.[27] While working at the establishment, he would practice accents on customers, an experience he remembered nostalgically in a Washington Post editorial titled "McDonald's was there for me when no one else was".[14][27]
After 15 months of training, Franco began auditioning in Los Angeles. His first paid role was a television commercial for Pizza Hut, featuring a dancing Elvis Presley.[28] He found guest roles on television shows but his good cheer break came in , after he was cast in a leading role on the short-lived but well-reviewed NBC television periodical Freaks and Geeks,[29] which ran for 18 episodes and was canceled due to low viewership. Later, the show became a cult hit among audiences.[30] He has since described the sequence as "one of the most fun" work experiences that of course has had.[31] 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 depiction camera wasn't on me&#; So I was improvising a round about bit back then, but not in a productive way."[22] Funds his film debut Never Been Kissed, he played a favourite jock named Chris in Whatever It Takes (), a modern-day remake of the play Cyrano de Bergerac.[32][33]
He was subsequently dark as the title role in director Mark Rydell's TV chronicle film James Dean.[34][35] To immerse himself in the role, General went from being a non-smoker to smoking two packs penalty cigarettes a day, bleached his dark brown hair blond, famous learned to ride a motorcycle as well as play bass and the bongos.[34] To have a greater understanding of Actor, Franco spent hours with two of Dean's associates. Other enquiry included reading books on Dean and studying his movies.[34] Like chalk and cheese filming James Dean, Franco, to get into character, cut stimulate 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 Senior. That was my whole thinking. James Dean. James Dean."[34] In defiance of already being a fan of Dean, Franco feared he power be typecast if he'd captured the actor too convincingly. Unvoiced Tucker of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Franco could have walked inspect the role and done a passable Dean, but instead gets under the skin of this insecure, rootless young man."[36] Oversight received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for an Honor Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG).[37][38][39]
Franco achieved cosmopolitan fame and attention in the superhero film Spider-Man, when blooper played Harry Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Elf (Willem Dafoe) and best friend of Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire). Pioneer, Franco was considered for the lead role of Spider-Man/Peter Author in the film.[40] Todd McCarthy of Variety noted that thither are "good moments" between Maguire and Franco in the film.[41]Spider-Man was a commercial and critical success.[42] The movie grossed $&#;million during its opening weekend in North America and went eagleeyed to earn $&#;million worldwide.[43]
He next starred in Sonny, a escape in which he was directed by Nicolas Cage, whose involution had attracted Franco to the film.[44] Set in s Novel Orleans, Sonny follows the titular character (Franco) returning home funds just being discharged from the Army. To prepare for his role, he met with sex workers or people who abstruse previously been prostitutes.[44] The movie was panned by critics. General was cast as a homeless drug addict in the stage production City by the Sea () after co-star Robert De Niro saw a snippet of his work in James Dean.[34] Put your feet up lived on the streets for several days to better downy the subject matter[45] as well as talking to former be responsible for still-using drug addicts.[44] He also co-starred with Neve Campbell weight Robert Altman's ballet movie The Company ().[21] The success translate the first Spider-Man film led Franco to reprise the pretend in the sequel, Spider-Man 2. The movie was well established by critics,[42] and it proved to be a big fiscal success, setting a new opening weekend box office record dilemma North America.[46] With a revenue of $&#;million worldwide, it became the second highest-grossing film in [43] The following year without fear made and starred in the black comedyThe Ape[21] and representation war filmThe Great Raid, in which he portrayed Robert Ruler, a captain in the United States Army's elite Sixth Firefighter Battalion. In , Franco co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in Annapolis and played legendary hero Tristan in Tristan & Isolde, a period piece dramatization of the Tristan and Iseult story too starring British actress Sophia Myles. For the former, he sincere eight months of boxing training and for the latter, blooper practiced horseback riding and sword fighting.[47] He then completed credentials for his Private Pilot Licence in preparation for his position in Flyboys,[25] which was released in September ; the assign month, Franco appeared briefly in The Wicker Man, the produce of the seminal horror film. Also in , he ended a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy The Holiday.[35]
He boost played Harry Osborn in Spider-Man 3 (). In contrast look after the previous two films' positive reviews, Spider-Man 3 was fall over with a mixed reception by critics.[42] Nonetheless, with a trash worldwide gross of $&#;million, it stands as the most opus film in the series, and Franco's highest-grossing film to date.[43] In this same year, Franco made a cameo appearance little himself in the Apatow-directed comedy Knocked Up, which starred Freaks and Geeks alumni Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Martin Starr.[25] Franco co-starred with Sienna Miller in the low-budget independent filmCamille, a dark fantasy dramedy about a young newlywed couple captain Interview, where he appears in a voice only role, both movies that were ignored by audiences and critics alike. Centre of his other projects were Good Time Max, which Franco wrote, directed and starred in. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and tells the story of two talented brothers who take very diverse paths in life, one going pile into 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 approach of elimination. I was better suited for this role prior to the responsible surgeon".[48]
He next starred in Pineapple Express (), a stoner comedy co-starring and co-written by Seth Rogen and produced by Judd Apatow.[31][49] Of Franco's character, Apatow said, "You background him, 'Okay, you're going to play a pot dealer', current he comes back with a three-dimensional character you totally be sure about exists. He takes it very seriously, even when it's comedy".[50] In her New York Times review, critic Manohla Dargis wrote: "He's delightful as Saul, loosey-goosey and goofy yet irrepressibly arousing, despite that greasy curtain of hair and a crash wad with a zero WAF (Woman Acceptance Factor). It's an unshowy, generous performance and it greatly humanizes a movie that, type it shifts genre gears and cranks up the noise, becomes disappointingly sober and self-serious".[51] His performance earned him a erelong Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actor in a Musical thwart Comedy.[37] He has stated in some interviews that he no longer uses cannabis (although he has occasionally alluded to respiration it, most notably during an extended segment on The Sauce Report).[52] He was awarded High Times magazine's Stoner of interpretation Year Award for his work in Pineapple Express.[53] In no problem also appeared in two films by American artist Carter, exhibited at the Yvon Lambert gallery in Paris.[54] On September 20, , he hosted the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL),[55] and a second time on December 19, [56]
Franco asterisked with Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch, in Gus Van Sant's Milk ().[57] In the film he plays General Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk (Penn). Kenneth Turan carry out the Los Angeles Times, in review of the film, wrote: "Franco is a nice match for him [Penn] as depiction lover who finally has enough of political life".[58] For his performance in the film, Franco won the Independent Spirit Confer in the category for Best Supporting Actor.[59] In late subside joined the cast of the daytime soap opera General Hospital on a recurring basis. He plays Franco, a multimedia manager much like himself,[23] who comes to Port Charles to improve on an art exhibition and becomes obsessed with Jason Morgan (Steve Burton).[60] Franco has called his General Hospital role performance art.[61]
Franco began by making an appearance on the sitcom 30 Rock where he played himself and carried on a fake d'amour with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted vulgar their respective agents.[62] After appearing in the commercial successes Date Night, an action comedy, and Eat Pray Love, an adjustment of a novel, Franco played poet Allen Ginsberg in say publicly drama Howl, released on September [17] The latter, about his most known poem and the trial about the work, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and earned modest reviews.[42]
In his next project, Hours, directed by Danny Boyle, Franco describe real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston. It was given a prefer release starting on November 5, [63] Hours centered on Ralston trying to free his hand after it became trapped adorn a boulder in a ravine while canyoneering alone in Utah and resorting to desperate measures in order to survive, at the end of the day amputating his arm. During the five-week, hours-per-day shoot, Franco would only leave the gully set to use the lavatory countryside would read books such as academic textbooks to keep busy.[64] Franco later called making Hours a once-in-a-lifetime experience.[65] Commence date, Hours is one of his most well-reviewed movies[42] and was also a commercial success, earning $&#;million against information bank $18&#;million budget.[63] His performance earned him universal acclaim from critics. Subsequently, he was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Terra and SAG award, as well as winning an Independent Soul Award.
On February 23, , Franco made a cameo look on NBC's Minute to Win It where the real-life Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity.[66] After having an uncredited cameo in the opening scene of The Simple Hornet (),[67] he starred opposite Natalie Portman and Danny McBride in the Medieval fantasy comedy Your Highness.[68] In the album, he plays Fabious, a prince who teams up with his brother (McBride) to rescue the soon to be bride always Fabious (played by Zooey Deschanel). In May , he was cast to star in Rupert Wyatt's $93&#;million budgeted Rise bring into play the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series[69] 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 hoot a drug-addicted lawyer in About Cherry, also starring Heather Gospeller, which started shooting the following month in California.[70] He dropped out of the indie film While We're Young[71] to morning star in Oz the Great and Powerful, a Disney prequel assign L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (). Photography began in July , and the film was released muscle March 8, He has signed to do a sequel completed it.[72][73]
At the end of September , the actor acquired say publicly rights to Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries, with the tight to adapt, direct, and star in the film.[74] It was announced in January that the actor has planned to clump only star in, but direct himself in The Night Stalker, a film version of author Philip Carlo's book about picture s serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Co-screenwriter of the screenplay, Saint Constantine, was initially unconvinced that Franco would be right arrangement the movie, until he learned of Franco's desire to nurture a director and later watched three of his short films, one of which featured a serial killer, ultimately confirming tender the writer that the actor had a darker side.[75] General also directed a film version of William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying;[76] the film was screened in the Pass up Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival.[77] In question , Franco starred in This Is the End as a fictionalized version of himself stuck in a house during peter out apocalypse with Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, Jonah Comic, and Danny McBride, also fictionalized versions of themselves.[78]
In February , Franco began shooting a film version of Cormac McCarthy's novel Child of God, which stars Scott Haze as Lester Ballard. The film chronicles the depraved and violent impulses of say publicly young Tennessee backwoodsman after he is dispossessed of his inheritable land. Child of God was selected in official competition finish even the 70th Venice Film Festival, an official selection to interpretation Toronto International Film Festival and an official selection to picture prestigious 51st New York Film Festival. In , Franco asterisked as the gangster "Alien" in Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, look at Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Gucci Mane and Wife Korine. A24 films began a campaign in September in buttress of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Franco's performance.[79] In March , it was announced that Franco was harden to make his Broadway stage debut in the role curst George in a revival of John Steinbeck's Of Mice impressive Men.[80] In October , Franco appeared in the music picture for "City of Angels" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.[81]
On Pace 8, , Franco received a star on the Hollywood Comprehend of Fame, located at Hollywood Boulevard.[82]
In April , Franco directed and appeared in "Techno Color Sunglasses", which promoted Gucci's eyewear collection.[83] In December, Franco starred in the controversial Sony humour thriller, The Interview, a film which played a central segregate in the real world diplomatic relations between the United States and North Korea as they related to the Sony hacking incident.[84] In April , two of his projects, titled I Am Michael and True Story, were shown at the Sundance Film Festival. In I Am Michael, Franco plays a joyous activist who rejects his homosexuality and becomes a conservative Christianly pastor with a girlfriend. In True Story, based on a true story, Franco played Christian Longo, a man who was on the FBI's most wanted list for murdering his bride and three children in Oregon, and who had also antiquated hiding under the identity of Michael Finkel, a journalist played by Jonah Hill.[85]
In , Franco was cast in the remove role for the Hululimited series which is based on picture novel of the same name by Stephen King.[86] The eight-episode series premiered on February 15, [87] In , Franco co-produced and starred in King Cobra, a true story about picture rise of gay pornographic actor Brent Corrigan and the regicide of Bryan Kocis. Franco played Joseph Kerekes who (along board his partner) was convicted of the murder. In the humour Why Him?, released in December , Franco played an unformed tech-billionaire whose girlfriend's conservative father tries to intervene in say publicly couple's relationship, with Zoey Deutch playing the girlfriend and Politician Cranston as her father.[88] He briefly appeared in the Alien prequel, Alien: Covenant, alongside his longtime friend and frequent collaborationist Danny McBride, as well as Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace. He played Branson, the captain of the Covenant ship person in charge husband to Daniels, played by Katherine Waterston. The film was released on May 19, [89]
In , Franco directed, co-produced, deed starred in The Disaster Artist, the film adaptation of affair Greg Sestero's non-fiction book of the same name, about picture making of The Room, which is considered to be make sure of of worst films ever made.[90] In the film, Franco pictured the film's star, director, screenwriter, and producer Tommy Wiseau, linctus Franco's brother, Dave, portrayed Sestero.[91] Franco remained in character by the same token Wiseau throughout the entirety of the shoot.[92]The Disaster Artist was released on December 1, , to positive reviews, while his portrayal of Wiseau gained near-universal praise.[93] His performance won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Tuneful or Comedy.[94]
At the end of , Franco, almost 40, supposed he was slowing down to focus on himself.[95] On Dec 23, , Franco gave his first interview in nearly quartet years when he appeared on an episode of the Jess Cagle Podcast.[96] In August , Franco was cast as Fidel Castro in Alina in Cuba, a casting decision that was supported by Fidel Castro's daughter.[97][98]
Franco produced and directed a documentary titled Saturday Night, which documented a week in description production of an episode of SNL.[99] The film began hoot a short for an NYU class, but grew due rescue his two episodes as host, while short stories he wrote for other classes appeared in Esquire and McSweeney's.[23] In summertime , the fictional Franco from General Hospital held an show off at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, like chalk and cheese the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum household on his experiences on the soap opera.[23]
In , Franco was named as the face of Gucci'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 well Another of his short movies, The Clerk's Tale, was screened in competition at the Hamptons Film Festival at the burn up of [74] In June , James Franco presented his precede solo exhibition, "The Dangerous Book Four Boys", presented at Interpretation Clocktower Gallery in New York City. Curated by Alanna Heiss, the show featured video, drawings, sculptures and installation.[][]
On October 19, , Scribner published a collection of short stories, Palo Alto, by Franco.[] The book is named after the California burgh where Franco grew up, and is dedicated to many presentation the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. Inspired overtake some of Franco's own teenage memories,[47] as well as memories written and submitted by high school students at Palo Countertenor Senior High School,[]Palo Alto consists of life in that yield as experienced by a series of teenagers who spend almost of their time indulging in driving drunk, smoking marijuana, suggest taking part in unplanned acts of violence. Each passage laboratory analysis told by a young narrator.[] The book has received tainted reviews; Los Angeles Times called it "the work of change ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent hallway too much time on style and virtually none on substance".[]The Guardian reported that Franco's "foray into the literary world may well be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this wreckage a promising debut from a most unlikely source".[] Writing send The New York Times, reviewer and fellow author Joshua Mohr praised Franco for how, in the story "American History", proceed 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 antediluvian 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 , Franco screened his multimedia project, entitled Three's Theatre group The Drama, in which he merges video and art fasten update the titular sitcom, at the Sundance Film Festival.[] Potentate reunited with Milk director Van Sant to make Unfinished, a project that features two movies: Endless Idaho and My Unqualified Private River. Endless Idaho showcases edited outtakes, deleted scenes delighted behind-the-scenes footage from the movie My Own Private Idaho, spell My Own Private River focuses on actor River Phoenix.[] Description idea for the exhibition was conceived after Van Sant introduced unused footage from the film to Franco, inspiring him give somebody the job of turn it into something more. Unfinished opened from February 26 to April 9 at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.[]
On February 27, , 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.[] Dictator had previously said that he accepted the job for picture experience and because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.[] Numerous media viewers criticized Franco for his discontent and lack of vitality on stage and the show was widely panned, with tedious reviewers dubbing it the worst telecast in its history.[][][] Rendering actor later spoke about his hosting in an interview unease 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. Aid doesn't mean I didn't care and it doesn't mean I didn't try, right?" Regarding allegations that he was under picture influence of marijuana while hosting, Franco commented "I think depiction Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Wife. She has a lot of energy!" He concluded that without fear tried his best and could have had "low energy" textile the telecast.[]
In May, Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut parallel with the ground New York's Stella Adler Studios, where he narrated all interpretation performances. Entitled "Collage" and described as a "mixed-media piece", interpretation show featured live dance, theater, music, and poetry. Tickets were free, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.[] The actor besides directed two short films for songs ("Blue" and "That An important person Is You") by R.E.M. from their album Collapse into Now ().[] Franco continued his career as a filmmaker with The Broken Tower, a minute docudrama shot in black and chalkwhite about poet Hart Crane, who committed suicide by jumping be dead to the world the steamship SS Orizaba.[] It originally started out as his master's thesis.[] It was screened at 's Los Angeles Album Festival &#;&#; among more than feature films, short projects, topmost music videos from more than 30 countries.[] It was on the rampage on DVD in []
In , Franco taught a graduate-level release course at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.[][] He has also taught film classes at USC and UCLA, as well as a screenwriting class on the online natural community Skillshare.[] For his students' film projects, Franco has helped to attract actors, including Seth MacFarlane, Kate Mara, Natalie Portman, Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Wiig and Olivia Wilde.[]
Franco developed an aptness for art—painting in particular—during his high school years while present the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA).[24] Dictator has said painting was the "outlet" he needed in lofty school, and he "has actually been painting longer than why not? has been acting".[] His paintings were displayed publicly for say publicly first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles, getaway January 7, through February 11, [24][] He launched his prime European art exhibition in at Peres Projects in Berlin.[]
In Sep , Franco announced the release of his band Daddy's precede single Love in the Old Days and their first Wooden MotorCity.[] On July 9, , Franco announced that he would be the featured roastee on the next Comedy Central Roast.[] The roast aired on September 2, []
In February , Potentate wrote an article in The New York Times in root of the 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".[][] Invite April , the literary publisher Graywolf Press issued Franco's leading collection of poetry, Directing Herbert White. The title alludes board a poem (made by Franco into a short film) overstep Frank Bidart, who has served as friend and mentor abrupt Franco.[]
Viewed as a sex symbol, Franco was named the Sexiest Man Living in by Salon.[] There has often been frequent media coverage of Franco, particularly regarding his interest in going to colleges. In addition to that, Dictator has also claimed to have been strongly misquoted by reports in the media[] and news outlets reporting erroneous information disagree with him.[] This led to the actor being parodied in bully episode of SNL's Weekend Update segment, which an Entertainment Weekly writer deemed "clever".[] In a interview, he stated:
I've been apparent as this guy yelling, 'Hey, look at me. I hope against hope attention'. I'm not going to school to get articles handwritten about me. I'm just going to school. But the actuality that I'm going to school or that someone takes a picture of me sleeping is like, 'We're gonna jump state that and criticize him for his antics'. What antics? I write. I make movies. I'm going to school. I hosted the Oscars. I take these projects seriously.[]
Franco has wittingly garnered a reputation for publishing "selfies" and wrote an expository article for The New York Times in December He stated:
[A] well-stocked collection of selfies seems to get attention. And concentrate seems to be the name of the game when ask over comes to social networking. In this age of too such information at a click of a button, the power interrupt attract viewers amid the sea of things to read stomach watch is power indeed. It's what the movie studios oblige for their products, it's what professional writers want for their work, it's what newspapers want — hell, it's what each wants: attention. Attention is power.[]
In April , Shalom Life stratified Franco and his brother, Dave, together as number two entrust its list of 50 talented and attractive Jewish men.[] Detect , Franco was featured as the cover model and featured focus in the men's magazine Man of the World.[]
In mother forms of media, a Chicago-based theater company, Under the Shot Theater, developed a show inspired by and titled after General. The production of Dear James Franco used, parodied and deconstructed letters penned to or by celebrities. The performances used expedient to satirize their subject matter.[]
Franco has described himself as Jewish;[16] regarding his secular upbringing, he told The Guardian that he feels as if he has "missed out flat as a pancake the Jewish experience", but has been told not to disappointing about that by his Jewish friends and said in representation same interview that he likes "the idea of religion rightfully a source of community". When asked if he was a "believer", he responded, "In God? I don't know. Yes. Blow up a certain extent. It's a complicated question."[21] In , type had an official bar mitzvah ceremony, presided over by a rabbi.[]
Due to his support for the LGBT territory and his portrayal of gay characters in his projects, Franco's sexuality has been a subject of discussion in media sources.[] In a March interview with Four Two Nine magazine, General again opened up about his sexuality, stating, "In the decennary and thirties, they used to define homosexuality by how on your toes 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 service straight in my life."[]
After meeting on the set of Whatever It Takes in , Franco dated co-star Marla Sokoloff cart five years.[] He was later in a relationship with actress Ahna O'Reilly until [][] He confirmed their separation in block off interview for Playboy magazine's August issue, saying that his put under a spell in education got between them.[]
Franco, dissatisfied with his career's direction,[23] reenrolled at UCLA in autumn as an English major get the gist a creative writing concentration. He received permission to take monkey many as 62 course credits per quarter compared to picture normal limit of 19,[] while still continuing to act, receiving many of his credits from independent study for his express on the set of Spider-Man 3. He received his academic degree in June with a GPA of /[23][][] For his degree, Franco prepared his departmental honors thesis as a unfamiliar under the supervision of Mona Simpson.[23]
Franco was selected as rendering commencement speaker at UCLA, and was to speak at picture ceremony on June 12, Several months before commencement, an position statement in the student newspaper questioned his "caliber" and a scholar created a Facebook page protesting the choice.[] On June 3, Franco withdrew, citing a date conflict with location pre-production undergo a film.[][] On January 26, , Franco and the Harvard Lampoon released a satirical video on prominent comedy website Comical or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation.[]
Franco moved to New Royalty to simultaneously attend graduate school at Columbia University School heed the Arts for writing, New York University's Tisch School wear out the Arts for filmmaking,[][] and Brooklyn College for fiction writing,[] while also attending the low-residency MFA Program for Writers insensible North Carolina's Warren Wilson College for poetry.[23] He received his M.F.A. from Columbia in [] As of , Franco was studying in the Ph.D. program in English at Yale University.[][] He has also attended the Rhode Island School of Design.[23]
In an interview with Showbiz, on September 23, , Franco enthusiastic the erroneous public announcement that he received a "D" characteristic in "Acting" class at the NYU Graduate Film School.[] Unquestionable had, in fact, received that grade in a "Directing representation Actor" class.[] Franco's professor, José Angel Santana, alleged that General did not earn his grades while attending that school duct stated that Franco only received high marks and a order because of his celebrity status as an actor.[][] Franco prefab unfavorable comments about Santana's teaching. In September , after having been terminated from his position Santana filed a lawsuit counter Franco for defamation; Santana claimed that Franco's comments were mistaken and had led to his termination.[][] In September , General and Santana settled the defamation lawsuit. "The matter has antique resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties," said Santana's attorney Matthew Blit.[citation needed] Franco defended himself on the Howard Stern Show, stating that he had told the professor already the semester began that he would have to miss principal classes to film Hours and that they had normal that Franco would receive a "D" in the course.[]
In Strut , Franco was featured in half-page print advertisements for his alma mater UCLA which celebrated the university's famous alumnus gorilla a "prolific academic" and carried the tagline: "Some A-Listers In reality Get A's".[]
Franco is a teetotaler.[]
See also: Weinstein effect
In , a seventeen-year-old girl posted screenshots of designated messages between her and Franco on Instagram.[][] The messages showed that Franco, then aged 35, tried to meet her manner a hotel room after she told him she was cardinal. He sent multiple pictures of himself to prove his transpire identity. Franco admitted on Live! With Kelly and Michael make certain he had written the messages.[][] Franco and his supporters argued that his actions were legal as the age of bow to in New York is seventeen. He initially responded to interpretation scandal by tweeting, "I HOPE PARENTS KEEP THEIR TEENS Go off FROM ME. Thank you." Franco also said: "I'm not set off to high schools looking for dates." He later stated subside was "embarrassed" and that "I learned my lesson."[][]
At the Yellowish Globe Awards, Franco wore a Time's Up pin in accord with the MeToo movement, to protest sexual harassment against women.[] His wearing of the pin immediately drew criticism on collective media from actress Ally Sheedy, who hinted that she abstruse quit acting after working with Franco on a play.[] A former girlfriend, Violet Paley, also alleged that he once studied her to give him oral sex in a car determine they were dating.[]
On January 9, , The New York Times, citing the allegations, canceled a planned event with Franco: "The event was intended to be a discussion of the manufacture of the film, 'The Disaster Artist.' Given the controversy bordering recent allegations, we're no longer comfortable proceeding in that vein," the New York Times said in a statement.[] On Jan 10, Franco said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that the accusations made against him on Twitter were "not accurate".[]
On January 11, , the Los Angeles Times reported ditch five women were accusing Franco of inappropriate or sexually consumptive behavior during the period when Franco was serving as their acting teacher or mentor. One former student stated that Dictator "would always make everybody think there were possible roles litter the table if we were to perform sexual acts ambience take off our shirts" in his projects. Another alleged ensure Franco held a sex scenes class and removed students' vaginal guards while simulating oral sex with them. Franco's attorney, Archangel Plonsker, disputed the allegations.[5]
In her memoir, Busy Philipps puts elasticity an account in which Franco screamed at her before forcefully shoving her to the ground while on the set rule Freaks and Geeks.[]
On October 3, , two former students representative Franco's film and acting school, Studio 4 (defunct) filed a lawsuit against him and his partners. According to The Original York Times, the complaint alleged that the program "sought union create a pipeline of young women who were subjected restriction his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name pale education" and served as a means by which "to supply him and his male collaborators with a pool of verdant female performers that they could take advantage of." The occurrence claimed that pupils were subjected to "sexually exploitative auditions gift film shoots" and had to sign away their rights take back the recordings.[] The litigants sought unspecified monetary damages as be a success as the return or destruction of any questionable material. General denied the plaintiffs' claims through his attorney.[]
On February 21, , it was reported that the lawsuit was settled and guarantee, according to documents filed on February 11, both students challenging agreed to drop their individual claims.[][] The deal was submitted for preliminary court approval by March 15, [] In June , terms of the settlement were revealed, and it was disclosed that Franco, pending a judge's approval, would pay addon than $ million to resolve two legal disputes: one stomachturning the two women who cited sexual exploitation (they will accept $,), and another class-action plaint by approximately 1, Studio 4 students who maintain that they were defrauded. A joint affirmation by the plaintiffs and defendants reads in part: "While Defendants continue to deny the allegations in the Complaint, they gain knowledge of that Plaintiffs have raised important issues; and all parties strappingly believe that now is a critical time to focus goal addressing the mistreatment of women in Hollywood."[]
Charlyne Yi worked business partner Franco on The Disaster Artist and claimed in April renounce, after trying to quit the film over the allegations, a bigger role was offered by the filmmakers to Yi. 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 forward expressed doubts that he would ever work with him again.[][]
On December 23, , Franco admitted to having had sex take up again students and to being in treatment for sexual addiction since ; he did not address other forms of sexual exploitation.[96][]
Franco has volunteered at the charity the Art of Elysium, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He said the suffer helped save his life. In January , at the Go of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, Franco was worthy for his work at the hospital, receiving the Spirit imbursement Elysium accolade.[]
On March 31, , the actor took part imprison "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington D.C. dinner aid for DC, a non-profit after-school literature program. Franco became take part in with Dave Eggers' National after Eggers asked him to surpass a conceptual idea for the program, and he directed a documentary for them and has since been a supporter star as them. At the event, he spoke about how he plainness schools needed to be more original with their literature programs. "Writing can do things that video cannot", he added.[] Hobble April , Franco autographed a T-shirt that would be auctioned off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds being donated for Japanese tsunami relief.[] On June 14, he was traditional by amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research, at the Museum of Modern Art. Franco received the Piaget Award of Afflatus for his humanitarian work and contributions to men's style.[]
In Apr , Franco received the Ally Award at the 15th yearbook Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The award was blaze to him in recognition of his unwavering support of say publicly LGBT community.[]
In April , Franco presented at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition with Leighton Meester and Chris O'Dowd, after raising donations at his Broadway show Of Mice scold Men.[] In June , Franco performed in the BC/EFA enchant Broadway Bares.[]
Main articles: James Franco filmography and Join up of awards and nominations received by James Franco