James Franco, once a prominent figure in Hollywood has a diverse career path in acting, writing and directing. He is notable for his performances however his reputation has been met with scandal in recent times which impacts his position in Hollywood.
End of Professional Partnership with Seth Rogen
James Franco's long time professional collaborations with actor and comedian Seth Rogen has ended after a long run of working together. Their collaborative works stretch as far back as 1999’s "Freaks and Geeks". The termination of their working partnership was addressed by Rogen citing personal reasons. This also had to due with multiple allegations against Franco and the fallout of their impact in Hollywood circles.
Rogen's Public Statements
Rogen has made it public his dislike of abuse and has declared he would not cover up for anyone committing such action. These remarks highlight how his personal beliefs factored in the choice of stepping away from Franco professionally.
Accusations of Sexual Misconduct
In 2018 five former students had accused Franco of various forms of sexual misconduct as he was a teacher or mentor at an acting school that he was in charge of. Other accusations include a claim that he took of guards from actress vulvas as well as an ex girlfriend claiming he forced oral sex from her. He then took the role that the school he had was used as a way for exploiting young women. This also included various lawsuit which called to question both his morality and credibility as a public figure.
James Franco's Response
Franco admitted in an interview that he did engage in sexual activity with his students while claiming he did not have a ‘master plan” for exploitation. His comments have shown a different perspective than Rogen or those that were accusing him. His claims came from a place of also seeing himself as a victim after all the allegations started making waves throughout the industry. He states that not working after all this allowed him to stop his behavior.
Juliette Angelo Allegations
More accusations of inappropriate behavior had also surfaced when former child actor Juliette Angelo accused Franco of his inappropriate actions when she was a minor. The actions had taken place while on set filming the television series “11.22.63". These actions were of a less formal tone but made many question what else has happened over the course of his career.
Inappropriate On Set Conduct
Angelo said Franco was often taking unauthorized pictures of her, would hold hands for extended periods and refer to her as “precocious” which some interpreted as sexualizing of her childhood. As more came out this showed the extent of which Franco has acted which called to questions the way he had approached past projects.
Impact on Franco's Career
The result of these accusations and public fall out of the friendship and professional relationship with Seth Rogen has seen his work opportunities decrease greatly within Hollywood. Franco is no longer considered to be a top candidate for roles and his reputation is damaged overall.
Franco’s Claim of Career Instability
Franco claimed the negative attention made it painful while he felt was appropriate punishment, this however, put into question where he stood on all levels professionally and as a person. He claims he is grateful for opportunities as his acting career was halted by lawsuits during that time, however COVID made that situation seem normal to an extent when all were out of work. He uses all of these situations to explain his lack of consistency with what used to be his highly productive career.
Future Outlook
Franco’s current position in Hollywood is uncertain with very low likelihood of returning to his previous stature after so much scrutiny on his character as a public figure. He has not offered to give much explanation other than his side and his career in the industry may or may not be completely restored with the current state of his legacy. The future for him as an entertainer remains to be determined due to so much being brought to light about his actions.
An Industry Response
Many within Hollywood feel like their choices of partners are now of greater importance with claims against others who had seemed previously safe to be near. This action serves as an important point within a very public arena which also holds many of those actors accountable and keeps others safer.
Key Takeaways
- James Franco's relationship with Seth Rogen and others has been heavily affected due to his allegations and subsequent loss of work in the industry.
- Several allegations including that he sexually exploited his female students all of whom were young while also using power to manipulate the outcome.
- More recent claims from former child star Juliett Angelo about past inappropriate behaviors as a minor has created more scrutiny from viewers.
- Franco's actions has caused damage to his reputation and has seen him lose some notable opportunities in television and film.
- The public outpour has made many question his credibility as a professional or an ethical public figure.