Seth Rogen and James Franco were once an iconic comedy duo, but their 20-year friendship has quietly come to an end. The rift stems from serious allegations against Franco, who faced accusations of sexual misconduct, a lawsuit, and a multimillion-dollar settlement. While promoting his film Hey Joe, Franco acknowledged the friendship was over, while Rogen, in a separate interview, distanced himself, making it clear he would never cover for abusive behavior. Franco later admitted to struggles with addiction and inappropriate relationships with students, reflecting on his past mistakes and the fallout with Rogen.
Despite the controversy, Franco has resumed acting, while Rogen continues to thrive in Hollywood, starring in his Apple TV+ series The Studio. Though the two have taken separate paths, their fractured relationship remains a lasting consequence of Franco’s actions. What do you think about their split? Share your thoughts below and stay tuned for more updates from What’s Trending!
Despite the controversy, Franco has resumed acting, while Rogen continues to thrive in Hollywood, starring in his Apple TV+ series The Studio. Though the two have taken separate paths, their fractured relationship remains a lasting consequence of Franco’s actions. What do you think about their split? Share your thoughts below and stay tuned for more updates from What’s Trending!
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00:00Seth Rogen and James Franco were once inseparable comedy partners, starring in hits like Pineapple
00:05Express, but their friendship has quietly come to an end.
00:08Let's break down the controversy that ended a 20-year relationship.
00:12In a recent Esquire cover story, Seth Rogen was asked how he felt about Franco's recent
00:16comments on their relationship.
00:18His response was blunt, stating,
00:20Honestly, I absorbed so little media that it really wasn't on my radar.
00:25According to Esquire, Seth was clearly prepared for the question, but just as clearly not
00:29happy about it.
00:31Franco originally addressed their friendship in October 2024, while promoting his new movie,
00:36Hey Joe, at the Rome Film Festival.
00:38Franco told Variety,
00:39I haven't talked to Seth.
00:41I love Seth.
00:42We had 20 great years together, but I guess it's over.
00:45Hey Joe marks Franco's second film since 2019, after reportedly being accused of sexual
00:50inappropriate behavior by five women, a controversy that led to a lawsuit, a settlement, and a
00:56major career setback.
00:59According to NBC News, Franco made an appearance on The Jess Cagle Show and broke his silence
01:04on the sexual misconduct allegations that led to a $2.2 million settlement with former
01:09acting students who accused him of inappropriate behavior at his acting school, Studio 4.
01:15During the podcast, Franco blamed his struggles on addiction to work, success, and sex, admitting
01:20that he used validation from women as a coping mechanism, stating,
01:25The problem with that is, I'm sure you can guess, like any sort of drug or anything,
01:29there's never enough.
01:31The actor described his behavior as addiction that lasted over 20 years and acknowledged
01:35having consensual relationships with students, calling it wrong, and reflecting on the power
01:40dynamics at play.
01:41Noting his attitude around it was, quote,
01:44If this is consensual, I think it's cool.
01:47According to the report, Franco denied allegations that his acting school was a pipeline for
01:52exploitation but admitted that naming a class, Masterclass Sex Scenes, was, quote,
01:57One of the stupidest things I did.
01:59Franco also addressed his fallout with longtime collaborator Seth Rogen, saying their professional
02:04split was painful but understandable, stating,
02:08Seth had to answer for me because I was silent, adding,
02:11It's one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today.
02:14I don't want Seth or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.
02:19Rogen was also reporting on actor and younger brother Dave Franco, who has never publicly
02:22commented on the controversy, according to Ladbible.
02:26At the time, Rogen publicly distanced himself, telling Britain's The Sunday Times,
02:30What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never cover or conceal
02:36the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were
02:40around someone like that.
02:42When the reporter asked if his friendship with Franco had been affected, Seth admitted,
02:46I'd say yes.
02:49According to IMDb, Franco is still acting, most recently playing roles in Hey Joe and
02:54The Prince of Money, while Seth has been hard at work on his new Apple TV series, The Studio.
03:00So what do you think about all this?
03:02Share your thoughts below and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.