Seth Rogen and James Franco were once one of Hollywood’s most recognizable creative partnerships. However, their friendship and professional relationship changed in recent years following sexual misconduct allegations against Franco. It has been years since the actors worked together on a project, and Rogen is sharing whether he has any plans to rekindle his partnership with Franco and whether or not they remain in contact.
In an interview with The New York Times published on June 13, Seth Rogen was asked about the friendships he made in the industry throughout the years, including the breakdown of his relationship with James Franco. Rogen thought about the extent of information he wanted to share, saying that it was “too personal” to get into.
He did, however, say that he still has the “same stance” since he talked about Franco a few years prior. “I think the proof is in the pudding — I have not worked with him in years.” Their last on-screen collaboration was 2019’s “Zeroville,” a film directed by and starring Franco that featured Rogen as Viking Man.
On a personal level, however, Rogen said the relationship is “so nuanced” and involves other people that he doesn’t want to drag into the conversation. Regardless, he said, “I haven’t worked with him in a really long time, and I have no plans to,” adding that he hasn’t talked to Franco in a while either.
The Actors First Worked Together In The Late ’90s
Rogen and Franco developed a friendship while starring in the 1999 NBC series, “Freaks and Geeks, which had just one season but became a cult classic. It wasn’t until 2008, however, that the two reunited on the big screen for “Pineapple Express.”
In the years following, they worked together on several films, including “This is the End,” “The Interview,” “The Disaster Artist,” and “Sausage Party.”
Rogen and Franco have candidly talked about their professional and personal relationship over the years, saying they learned from each other and were like brothers. “We grew up together in this business. He’s like my brother, but a brother I actually choose to work with every single day,” Franco said about Rogen in 2017.
The Allegations Against James Franco
In 2014, Franco faced backlash after screenshots were leaked showing the actor communicating with an underage fan and asking whether he should book a hotel room for them. The actor owned up to the messages and apologized for his “poor judgment.”
Four years later, the Los Angeles Times published an investigative report, in which five women, four of whom were his acting students, accused Franco of “sexually exploitative behavior.” Two of the women filed a class-action lawsuit against Franco, claiming that the actor pressured them into participating in explicit scenes on camera with the promise of film roles.
Franco admitted to having sexual relations with some of his students and also shared that he had a sex addiction. “I suppose at the time, my thinking was if it’s consensual, OK. At the time, I was not clearheaded,” he said.
In 2021, an agreement was reached, and Franco paid a $2.2 million settlement.
Seth Rogen Distanced Himself From The Actor
Following the screenshot leak in 2014, Rogen appeared on “SNL” and poked fun at his friend during his monologue. “I decided to prank James Franco. I posed as a girl on Instagram, told him I was way young. He seemed unfazed. I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel,” he said. In 2018, Rogen said that he would still work with Franco.
In a 2021 interview with The Times, however, the actor said he regretted making the joke, adding, “I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now,” Rogen said.
“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,” he said, adding that Franco’s controversy changed “many things” in their personal and professional relationship.
James Franco Acknowledged The End Of His Friendship With Seth Rogen
In an interview in 2024, Franco was asked whether he still had contact with his frequent collaborator and friend. He answered the question honestly, saying that he had expressed to Rogen how much their relationship meant to him, but they had not been in contact for a while.
“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,” Franco said.
