James Franco recently opened up about the end of his longtime friendship with Seth Rogen, following the sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced against Franco in 2018. In an interview with Variety while promoting his new film Hey Joe, Franco shared, “I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth; we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over.” Franco added that he’s expressed to Rogen how much their friendship meant to him, though he acknowledges the relationship has likely run its course.
The two actors have a long history, working together on Freaks and Geeks in 1999 and numerous popular films like The Interview and Pineapple Express. However, in a 2021 interview with the Sunday Times, Rogen made it clear that he no longer intended to work with Franco, stating, “I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that.”
Franco faced allegations from former female acting students, who accused him of exploiting them and engaging in inappropriate conduct at his now-defunct acting school. After a settlement in 2021, Franco took a step back from the industry, spending four years away from Hollywood before returning with the 2022 film Me, You.
Reflecting on his time away, Franco told Variety he is “grateful” for the break, saying it gave him a chance to “do private work and make necessary changes.” He admitted the hiatus, partially influenced by the pandemic, allowed him to focus on self-reflection, explaining, “I did a lot of work to change who I was.”
Franco expressed pride in the growth he achieved during his time off-screen, even though it came with the loss of a meaningful friendship. He’s optimistic about his return to acting and aims to continue his journey both personally and professionally.
