James Franco has given a somber update on the status of his friendship with Seth Rogen, three years after his former collaborator announced they had parted ways.
Seth, 42, publicly called out his Pineapple Express co-star, 46, after his students accused and sued him for behaving inappropriately and sexually toward them.
And it seems like Seth hasn’t had any interest in rekindling their friendship.
In a recent interview ahead of the release of his new film, Hey Joe, James shared: “I haven’t spoken to Seth. I love Seth, we had a great 20 years together, but I guess it’s over.
And not for lack of trying.
James Franco has given a somber update on the status of his friendship with Seth Rogen
Seth distanced himself from his former friend and collaborator three years ago
added to Variety: “I’ve told him how much he means to me.”
In January 2018, five women told the Los Angeles Times that James had been sexually inappropriate or abusive toward them.
One details how James removed plastic guards from actresses’ vulvas during a sex scene while simulating oral sex.
Two of the women, Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, sued James in 2019, claiming that he attempted to “create a pipeline of young women who were subjected to his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name of education” while they attended his school. Studio 4 performance.
At the time, James denied the allegations through his attorney.
He finally settled the lawsuit for $2.2 million in July 2021.
Initially, when the allegations came to light in 2018, Seth told Vulture that he would continue working with James.
But in May 2021 he publicly revised his position and told Britain’s Sunday Times that he would not do so.
In a new interview, James revealed that he hasn’t spoken to Seth and believes their friendship is over (pictured together in Pineapple Express).
The duo had starred together in several projects, including the 2013 film This Is The End.
“What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and would never cover up or hide the actions of someone who does it, nor would I put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,” Seth told the publication.
He added that it is “not a coincidence” that he has not worked with Franco in recent years, as he faced accusations of sexual misconduct in 2014 and again in 2018.
That December, James said it was “painful” that Seth “had no plans to work with him in the future.”
Speaking on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle podcast, James said: “Of course it was painful, you know, in context, but I understand, you know, he had to answer for me because I was silent.”
“He had to answer for me and I don’t want that.
James will be back in the spotlight with his new film Hey Joe, which hits theaters next month.
“And so, one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today is because I don’t want Seth, or my brother, or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.”
Throughout their friendship, James and Seth had starred in several projects together, including the NBC classic Cult Freaks and Geeks.
They also appeared in films such as Pineapple Express, This Is the End, The Disaster Artist and The Interview.
While James has largely stayed out of the spotlight in recent years, he is preparing for his return to Hollywood with the release of his new film Hey Joe.
Directed by Claudio Giovannesi, James plays the main protagonist, Dean Barry, an American World War II veteran who returns to Naples after 25 years to meet his son.
The film premiered at the 19th Rome Film Festival on October 25 and will be released in theaters in Italy on November 28.