James Franco has indicated that his long-standing friendship with fellow actor Seth Rogen may be over. During an interview with Variety at the Rome Film Festival, where he was promoting his new film, Hey Joe, Franco revealed that he and Rogen, who is 42, are currently out of touch.
“I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth; we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” Franco said, reflecting on their collaborative history. The two have worked together on numerous projects, including Freaks and Geeks, Pineapple Express, This Is The End, and The Disaster Artist.
Franco added, “And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.” His comments come in the wake of significant challenges in Franco’s career and personal life, particularly following allegations of sexual misconduct that surfaced in a 2018 Los Angeles Times article.
In 2019, two former acting students of Franco filed a lawsuit against him for sexual misconduct. The lawsuit was settled in 2021, with Franco agreeing to pay $2.235 million. The parties involved released a joint statement at the time, acknowledging the serious issues raised by the plaintiffs while denying the allegations. “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,” the statement read.
Rogen has since distanced himself from Franco professionally. In an interview conducted shortly after the allegations became public, Rogen stated he had no intention of working with Franco in the future. This sentiment seems to have played a role in their current estrangement.
Franco’s career took a hit following the lawsuit, but he has expressed gratitude for the work he has been able to undertake since then. “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,” he explained. Franco used this time away from the industry to reflect and reassess his life and career.
“I did certainly use the time to, I hope, good purpose. Whatever had been going on with me before, I had to change my whole way of life,” he continued. “I’m proud of the kind of work I did during that time.” He emphasized that although he was not actively making movies, he was focused on personal growth.
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Franco also acknowledged the painful reality of being criticized, saying, “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.”
As he looks to resume his film career, Franco mentioned that he has at least three upcoming projects in the works. Reflecting on his past, he admitted that he “didn’t really have a personal life” prior to the events surrounding the lawsuit, attributing this to a workaholic mentality. “I had friends, but it was always sort of enmeshed with my work,” he said.
In a notable shift, Franco shared that he is now committed to a personal relationship that has lasted for seven and a half years with actress and filmmaker Izabel Pakzad. “I was never able to do that before. I was just too scared, really… to have any sort of real intimacy with anyone,” he explained, indicating a newfound approach to life and relationships.
