James Franco reflects on the conclusion of his friendship with Seth Rogen during an interview at the Rome Film Festival. The actor, facing past allegations of misconduct, shares insights into his personal growth and upcoming projects, while acknowledging the impact of his legal battles on his career and relationships.
- James Franco were good friends
- His misconduct lawsuit created a rift between them
- It still affects them to this day
Franco and Rogen: A Friendship That Spanned Two Decades
James Franco and Seth Rogen, once inseparable in Hollywood, have seen their friendship come to an end. At the Rome Film Festival, Franco reflected on the dissolution of their long-standing bond, stating, "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," Franco added.
Known for their collaborations on iconic projects like 'Freaks and Geeks', 'Pineapple Express', and 'The Disaster Artist', the duo's creative partnership was a staple in the film industry.
Franco's career took a significant hit following allegations of sexual misconduct by five women, four of whom were his acting students.
These accusations were detailed in a 2018 Los Angeles Times article. The situation escalated when two former students filed a lawsuit in 2019, leading to a settlement in 2021 where Franco agreed to pay $2.235 million. Despite denying the allegations, both parties acknowledged the importance of addressing women's mistreatment in Hollywood, as stated in a joint statement from 2021.
"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," both parties said in a joint statement released in 2021.
The Impact on Professional Collaborations
The allegations not only affected Franco's career but also his professional relationships. Seth Rogen, in a 2021 interview, expressed his decision to no longer work with Franco. This marked a turning point in their friendship and professional collaboration, leaving Franco to navigate his career independently.
During his hiatus from Hollywood, Franco took the opportunity to reflect on his life and make significant changes.
"I’m so grateful to be working. I did go through a lawsuit, and during that lawsuit I wasn’t working. But then COVID hit so everybody wasn’t working. So, I don’t know, it was all… I mean, we were all kind of in it. So it was sort of like, 'I don’t know what I am,'" Franco told 'Variety', while speaking to his hiatus from Hollywood.
"But I did certainly use the time to, I hope, good purpose. And whatever had been going on with me before, I had to change my whole way of life. So I am proud of the kind of work I did during that time. And yeah, I wasn’t working in movies, but I certainly was doing a lot of work to change who I was," he shared.
The actor emphasized the importance of personal growth and the steps he took to transform himself during this challenging period.
Also interesting:
James Franco Is Denying Allegations!
Luckily, he wasn't alone!
"I want to correct a story"
As Franco begins to reestablish his career, he is working on at least three new projects, according to Variety. Reflecting on his past workaholic tendencies, Franco admitted, "I had friends, but it was always sort of enmeshed with my work."
He now focuses on balancing his personal and professional life, including a seven-and-a-half-year relationship with actress and filmmaker Izabel Pakzad.
