James Franco has provided a somber update on the state of his friendship with Seth Rogen, three years after his former collaborator announced he had distanced himself.
Seth, 42, has publicly cut off his Pineapple Express costar, 46, after being accused and sued by his students for inappropriate and sexual behavior towards 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 talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had twenty wonderful years together, but I think it’s over.
“And not for lack of trying.”
James Franco has given a somber update on the state of his friendship with Seth Rogen
Seth distanced himself from his former friend and collaborator three years ago
He added Variety: ‘I 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 exploitative toward them.
One describes how James removed plastic protectors 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 he tried to “create a pipeline of young women subjected to his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name of education” while they were attended school. Studio 4 drama school.
James denied the allegations through his attorney at the time.
He ultimately settled the lawsuit in July 2021 for $2.2 million.
When the allegations surfaced in 2018, Seth initially told Vulture that he would continue working with James.
But in May 2021, he publicly revised his position, telling Britain’s Sunday Times that he would not do so.
In a new interview, James revealed he hasn’t spoken to Seth and believes their friendship is now over (pictured together in Pineapple Express)
The duo starred alongside each other in a number of 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 conceal the actions of anyone who does this, or knowingly put someone in a situation where he or she is around such a person would be,” Seth told the publication.
He added that it was “no coincidence” that he has not worked with Franco in recent years, as he faced allegations of sexual misconduct in 2014 and again in 2018.
In December, James said it was “hurtful” that Seth had “no plans to work with him in the future.”
James said on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Podcast: “Obviously it was hurtful, 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 returns to the spotlight with his new film Hey Joe, which hits theaters next month
“And that’s why it’s one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today, because I just don’t want Seth or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.”
Over the course of their friendship, James and Seth starred together in a number of projects, including the NBC Cult classic Freaks and Geeks.
They also appeared in films such as Pineapple Express, This Is the End, The Disaster Artist and The Interview.
Although James has largely stayed out of the spotlight in recent years, he is gearing up for his Hollywood comeback with the release of his new film Hey Joe.
Directed by Claudio Giovannesi, James stars as Dean Barry, an American veteran of World War II returns to Naples after 25 years to get to know his son.
The film premiered at the 19th Rome Film Festival on October 25 and will be released theatrically in Italy on November 28.