“This makes me like Seth even more”: James Franco Gets No Sympathy From Fans Despite His Heartbreaking Seth Rogen Comment
- James Franco has sparked backlash from netizens after commenting on his friendship fallout with Seth Rogen.
- After accusations of s*xual misconduct, Franco is attempting a comeback with 'Hey Joe'.
- Franco admits his need for personal change after reflecting on his past actions.
The path to redemption in Hollywood has never been easy. There are cases where certain stars are able to bounce back from controversies while others get trapped forever. However, it looks like James Franco’s path after the s*xual misconduct accusations has taken an interesting turn.
There are many examples of stars rising and falling, but few of these falls have been as dramatic as Franco’s. The actor who used to feature in mainstream blockbusters and indie cinema is again in the news, not for his comeback but for his candid comments about Seth Rogen.
Netizens Hit Back at James Franco for His Seth Rogen Comments
James Franco‘s rise to stardom has been fairly quick. His Spider-Man trilogy by Sam Raimi and his Oscar-nominated role in 127 Hours by Danny Boyle has established him as one of the most versatile actors.
Franco has also proved his comedic talent in movies and shows that he did with Seth Rogen, like Pineapple Express, Freaks and Geeks, The Interview, This Is the End, and more.
However, Franco’s career faced a serious setback after he was accused of s*xual exploitation of young women at his acting school in 2019. The actor later admitted to sleeping with his students on The Jess Cagle Podcast (via SiriusXM), acknowledging his wrongdoing.
Over the course of my teaching, I did sleep with students, and that was wrong. But like I said, it’s not why I started the school and I wasn’t the person that selected the people to be in the class. So it wasn’t a ‘master plan’ on my part.
One of the biggest losses for Franco was his friendship with Seth Rogen, his collaborator for 20 years. In a recent interview with Variety, Franco addressed the end of their relationship.
No. I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over. And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.
However, such comments have drawn criticism instead of support from fans and netizens as they drag in Franco’s past and believe Rogen did the right thing by breaking his friendship.
this makes me like seth even more
— jude (@lalaluckychap) October 25, 2024
James Franco acting like a victim after he sexually assaulted people and mad that his bestie dropped him? Nah Seth did the right thing https://t.co/7Ffb5ievDW
— HolyJose (Winter Arc) (@HolyJose2391) October 25, 2024
That’s because Seth is a good guy
— Princess Brielle (@WorshipBriellex) October 25, 2024
Wasn’t Seth the one who ended that friendship after he found out the absolutely nasty behavior of James Franco like two years ago?
— courtney (@prdctoftheprblm) October 26, 2024
W seth for dropping james franco after finding out james is a r@pist 😌😌😌
— Christine (@imeanitsxtine) October 25, 2024
Good for Seth! No abusers should be in your friend circle. https://t.co/ZZ6qggXOS3 pic.twitter.com/4VC5khUnkM
— Anastasia 💕 (@AnaStacey310) October 25, 2024
According to Los Angeles Times, five women accused Franco of s*xual misconduct, and four of them were from his acting school. Two of them filed a lawsuit in 2019, which was finally settled in 2021 after the actor paid $2,235,000 as a settlement.
James Franco’s New Chapter in Hollywood
Franco is now trying to come back in business with the Italian drama Hey Joe, directed by Claudio Giovannesi. Recently premiered in the Rome Film Festival, the film stars Franco as Dean, a World War II alcoholic American vet searching for his son.
It turns out that by using the troublesome experiences of his life, the actor has had a new outlook. He told Variety,
Being told you’re bad is painful. But ultimately, that’s kind of what I needed to just stop going the way I was going.
When asked about whether he felt like Hollywood was unfairly taking him out, Franco’s reply was reasonable.
I mean, it is what it is. I’ve honestly moved past it. It was dealt with, and I got to change. So that’s it, it’s over.
He has also discussed his own development, revealing his seven-and-a-half years relationship with actress-director Izabel Pakzad. “I really didn’t have a personal life. I had friends, but it was always sort of enmeshed with my work.” Franco also admitted to Variety that he was “too scared, really… to have any sort of real intimacy with anyone” before.
Franco’s comments hint that he has shifted to what he calls a “more spiritually-oriented life.” He has maintained his sobriety since his teenage years and claims to have recommitted to his recovery journey, though he prefers not to discuss these aspects extensively.
Hey Joe will be theatrically released in Italy on November 28, 2024.
