James Franco On The End Of His Friendship With Seth Rogen

James Franco recently addressed the end of his friendship with Seth Rogen, offering insight into a relationship that had once been one of Hollywood’s most iconic comedic partnerships.

In a candid interview, Franco admitted that the dynamic between the two had changed significantly in recent years, particularly after allegations of misconduct surfaced against him.

James Franco acknowledged that while he and Seth Rogen had a long history of successful collaborations, those personal and professional ties have now shifted.

The 46-year-old American actor, who first appeared alongside Rogen in the 1999 comedy series “Freaks and Geeks,” later collaborated with him on films such as “Pineapple Express,” “This Is the End,” and “The Disaster Artist.”

“No. I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” he told Variety. “And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”

Franco explained that Rogen’s decision to distance himself was difficult for him, but he understood the need for it. Rogen had previously stated that he has “no plans” to work with Franco again.

In 2018, Franco was accused of sexual misconduct by five women, including four former acting students. They alleged that he misused his influence at Studio 4, the acting school he co-founded, to pressure students into sexual situations under the pretense of career advancement.

In 2019, two of the women filed a lawsuit, which Franco settled for $2.2 million in 2021. While Franco admitted to having relationships with students and recognized the ethical concerns, he denied any malicious intent.

“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, per PEOPLE Magazine.

At the time, Franco’s attorney denied all the allegations, referencing the actor’s 2018 appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” as his official denial. During that interview, Franco stated that the accusations were inaccurate but emphasized that he did not want to silence or discredit those who came forward.

“The things that I heard that were on Twitter are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out and being able to have a voice because they didn’t have a voice for so long,” Franco told host Stephen Colbert. “So I don’t want to, you know, shut them down in any way.”

In light of the sexual misconduct allegations against Franco made by five women in 2018, Rogen has distanced himself professionally from his former collaborator.

In an interview with The Sunday Times in 2021, Rogen stated that he has no plans to work with Franco again following the controversy. Rogen, who had frequently collaborated with Franco on projects like “Pineapple Express” and “The Disaster Artist,” emphasized the importance of setting boundaries in the wake of such allegations.

“What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,” the actor said.

While speaking to his hiatus from Hollywood, Franco told Variety, “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.'”

“But I did certainly use the time to, I hope, good purpose,” he added. “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.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.