James Franco Says His And Seth Rogen’s Friendship Is “Over” After James’s Sexual Misconduct Allegations
“And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”
James Franco is opening up about his relationship with his former friend and collaborator Seth Rogen.
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James and Seth’s relationship dates back to the late ’90s when they met on Freaks and Geeks. They would go on to work together on various projects, such as Pineapple Express and This Is the End, before their relationship stalled amid sexual misconduct claims against James.
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James was sued in 2019 by students of his now-defunct acting school, Studio 4, on the grounds of alleged intimidation and sexual exploitation. He denied the claims, and the suit was reportedly settled in 2021 for $2.2 million, per CNBC.
Seth admitted the allegations had affected his relationship with James at the time.
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“I despise abuse and harassment,” he told the Sunday Times, “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.”
He also said he had “no plans” for future collaborations with James.
Today, James says he and Seth are still estranged. “I haven’t talked to Seth,” he recently told Variety.
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“I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” he added. “And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”
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When asked whether he thought his treatment in Hollywood was unfair, James replied, “I mean, it is what it is. I’ve honestly moved past it. It was dealt with, and I got to change. So that’s it, it’s over. I mean, I’ve worked in the U.S. too. So I’m just trying to move on.”
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You can read the full interview here.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
