It’s been years since James Franco’s career took a drastic turn due to the sexual misconduct allegations made against him in 2018. But, now, the 46-year-old actor is looking back at the trials and tribulations with gratitude and a whole new perspective on life.
In a new interview with Variety, Franco — who stars in the upcoming Italian film “Hey Joe” — opened up about the self-work he’s done since he was accused of coercing his film students into performing explicit sex scenes on camera and explained why his outlook on work, life and everything in between has shifted for the better.
“I’m so grateful to be working,” said Franco, who portrays an alcoholic American WWII veteran in the new movie. “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.’”
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“But I did certainly use the time to, I hope, good purpose,” he continued. “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.”
Franco, who is best known for his roles in “Pineapple Express,” “Spider-Man,” “127 Hours” and more, said that while he had a “good career” before his hiatus began, it was difficult for him to fully enjoy it.
“I was a workaholic; I was going all the time,” he said. “And even when there were good moments — like a movie that people liked or, I don’t know, [being] nominated for an award or whatever it might be, whatever good moments along the way that I wish I could have appreciated — I just didn’t because I had this weird thing where it was just like, I always need more.”
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“So now, after having the pause and, I think, changing priorities, I guess what I seek to fulfill me in life [is different],” he added. “Ultimately, I think I’m kind of grateful because it did afford me a chance to just do whatever private work and really change what I need to change. So now that I am working, I can just be there for the project. It’s not about me trying to fill some hole with work, it’s just about, ‘Wow, I have a really great life. I’m very grateful, and I hope to serve whatever project I do.’”
Franco was first accused of sexually inappropriate behavior by five women in an article published by the Los Angeles Times in January 2018.
In 2019, a lawsuit alleged that Franco and his associates coerced students into performing explicit sex scenes on camera.
Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal filed a class action complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that Franco and his partners “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students by sexualizing their power as a teacher and an employer by dangling the opportunity for roles in their projects.”
They argued they were victims of fraud, paying $300 a month for an acting school opened by Franco and his business partner Vince Jolivette in 2014 at which they claimed they were intimidated and sexually objectified.
In June 2021, Franco settled the lawsuit and signed off on paying $2,235,000.
Since then, the actor said he’s dedicated his time and energy to moving forward and becoming the best version of himself.
“There’s a great book I like called ‘The Second Mountain,’ And basically, it talks about how the first mountain is all our dreams when we’re young and we’re trying to achieve that,” he explained. “Some people stay on the first mountain for their whole lives. But some people are thrown off, and you can either try and get back on that first mountain or you could go to the second mountain.”
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“And the second mountain is a more kind of spiritually-oriented life, a life that is more kind of service-oriented, thinking about the bigger picture, thinking about others,” Franco continued. “And from everything I’ve read, from all kinds of thinkers and writers and whatever, it seems like that’s the more fulfilling life. And so, as painful as it was — yes, of course rejection is painful, 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.”
“And so now I just made it a huge priority in my life to just stay engaged, give back,” he added. “It’s a large part of what I’ve been doing, frankly, and it’s given me a lot of relief.”
Franco also discussed former friend and collaborator Seth Rogen, who publicly stated in 2021 that he had no plans to work with Franco. He also said at the time, “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.”
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When Franco was asked whether he’s communicated with Rogen, he said, “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.”
