James Franco
James Franco | |
---|---|
Born | James Edward Franco April 19, 1978[1] Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Actor, film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, teacher, author |
Years active | 1997–present |
Family | Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco (d. 2011) (father) Betsy Lou (née Verne) (mother) Tom Franco (brother) Dave Franco (brother) |
James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978)[2] is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, teacher and author. His first prominent role was a lead part on the short-lived cult hit television program Freaks and Geeks; he later achieved recognition for playing the title character in the TV biographical film James Dean (2001), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe Award. He portrayed Harry Osborn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. His notable films are Pineapple Express, Milk, 127 Hours, Tristan & Isolde, Annapolis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and 2013 releases Oz the Great and Powerful, Spring Breakers, This Is the End, and Lovelace. He also had a recurring role in the ABC soap opera General Hospital. For his role in 127 Hours, Franco received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Franco volunteers for the Art of Elysium charity and has taught a class at New York University in feature filmmaking and production.[3] In 2013, he began teaching a course in short film production at the University of Southern California and a course in screenwriting at his alma mater, University of California, Los Angeles.[4] He is currently a PhD candidate at Yale University.[5]
Early life and family
Franco was born in Palo Alto, California.[2] His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a writer and actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco (d. 2011), ran a Silicon Valley business.[6][7] The two met as students at Stanford University.[8][9] Franco's father was of Portuguese (Madeiran) and Swedish descent.[10] Franco's mother is Jewish (her family were Russian Jewish immigrants, and her father, Daniel, changed the surname from "Verovitz" to "Verne" some time after 1940).[10][11][12][13] Franco's paternal grandmother, Marjorie (Peterson) Franco, is a published author of young adult books.[7][14] Franco's maternal grandmother, Mitzie (Levine) Verne, owns the Verne Art Gallery, a prominent art gallery in Cleveland, and was an active member in the National Council of Jewish Women.[15][16][17]
Franco's family upbringing was "academic, liberal and largely secular."[18] He grew up in California with his two younger brothers, Tom and Dave ("Davy"), who is also an actor.[19] Talented at mathematics, Franco interned at Lockheed Martin.[8] Franco was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and did well on his SATs.[18] He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996, where he acted in plays.[8][20] In his high school years, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti, and for being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from department stores and sold them to classmates.[21] These arrests led to him briefly becoming a ward of the state. Facing the possibility of juvenile hall, Franco was given a second chance by the judge.[10] "It was teen angst. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I was shy. I changed my ways just in time to get good grades," he recalled of his troubles with the law.[18]
Although the idea of becoming a marine zoologist interested him, Franco had always secretly wanted to become an actor but feared rejection.[10] He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as an English major,[22] but dropped out after his freshman year against his parents' wishes[8] to pursue a career as an actor, since he would have had to wait two years to audition for their acting program.[10] Franco instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West.[20] Around this time, Franco took up a late-night job at McDonald's to support himself since his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian until working there.[21] While working at the establishment, he would practice accents on customers.[10] Knowing that the aspiring actor was doing his best to follow his passion, Carnegie told Franco to pay him what he could and later on pay him back.[10]
Acting career
Early work
After 15 months of training he began auditioning in Los Angeles for acting he resorted to labouring in homosexual pornography, his first paid role was a television commercial for Pizza Hut, featuring a dancing Elvis Presley.[23] He found guest roles on television shows but his first break came in 1999, after he was cast in a leading role on the short-lived but well-reviewed NBC television series Freaks and Geeks,[24] which ran for 18 episodes and was canceled due to low viewership. Later, the show became a cult hit among audiences.[25] He has since described the series as "one of the most fun" work experiences that he has had.[26] In another interview, Franco said: "When we were doing Freaks and Geeks, I didn’t quite understand how movies and TV worked, and I would improvise even if the camera wasn’t on me ... So I was improvising a little bit back then, but not in a productive way."[27] After his film debut Never Been Kissed, he played a popular jock Chris in Whatever It Takes (2000), a modern day remake of the 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac.[28][29]
He was subsequently cast as the title role in director Mark Rydell's 2001 TV biographical film James Dean.[30][31] To immerse himself in the role, Franco went from being a non-smoker to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, dyed his dark brown hair blond, and learned to ride a motorcycle as well as play guitar and the bongos.[30] To have a greater understanding of Dean, Franco spent hours with two of Dean's associates. Other research included reading books on Dean and studying his movies.[30] While filming James Dean, the actor, to get into character, cut off communication with his family and friends, as well as his then-girlfriend. "It was a very lonely existence," he notes. "If I wasn't on a set, I was watching James Dean. That was my whole thinking. James Dean. James Dean."[30] Despite already being a fan of Dean, Franco feared he might be typecast if he'd captured the actor too convincingly. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Franco could have walked through the role and done a passable Dean, but instead gets under the skin of this insecure, rootless young man."[32] He received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG).[33][34][35]
2002–2007
Franco achieved worldwide fame and attention in the 2002 superhero film Spider-Man, when he played Harry Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and best friend of the title character (Tobey Maguire). Originally, Franco was considered for the lead role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the film,[36] though the lead went to Maguire. Todd McCarthy of Variety noted that there are "good moments" between Maguire and Franco in the film.[37] Spider-Man was a commercial and critical success.[38] The movie grossed $114 million during its opening weekend in North America and went on to earn $822 million worldwide.[39] He next starred in Sonny, a 2002 release in which he was directed by fellow actor Nicolas Cage, whose involvement had attracted Franco to the film.[40] Set in 1980s New Orleans, Sonny follows the titular character (Franco) returning home after just being discharged from the Army. To prepare for his role, he met with sex workers or people who had previously been prostitutes.[40] The movie was panned by critics, with the New York Post's Lou Lumenick calling it an "instant candidate for worst movie of the year."[41] Franco was cast as a homeless drug addict in the drama City by the Sea (2002) after co-star Robert De Niro saw a snippet of his work in James Dean.[30] He lived on the streets for several days to better understand the subject matter[42] as well as talk to former or still using drug addicts.[40]
He also co-starred with Neve Campbell in Robert Altman's ballet movie The Company (2003).[18] The success of the first Spider-Man film led Franco to reprise the role in the 2004 sequel, Spider-Man 2. The movie was well received by critics,[38] and it proved to be a big financial success, setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America.[43] With revenue of $783 million worldwide, it became the second highest grossing film in 2004.[39] The following year he made and starred in the black comedy The Ape[18] and the 2005 war film The Great Raid, in which he portrayed Robert Prince, a captain in the United States Army's elite Sixth Ranger Battalion. In 2006, Franco co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in Annapolis and played legendary hero Tristan in Tristan & Isolde, a period piece dramatization of the Tristan and Iseult story also starring British actress Sophia Myles. For the former, he did eight months of boxing training and for the latter, he practiced horseback riding and sword fighting.[44] He then completed training for his Private Pilot Licence in preparation for his role in Flyboys,[21] which was released in September 2006; the same month, Franco appeared briefly in The Wicker Man, the remake of the seminal horror film. Also in 2006, he made a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy The Holiday.[31]
He again played Harry Osborn in Spider-Man 3 (2007). In contrast to the previous two films' positive reviews, Spider-Man 3 was met with a mixed reception by critics.[38] Nonetheless, with a total worldwide gross of $891 million, it stands as the most successful film in the series, and Franco's highest grossing film to date.[39] In this same year, Franco made a cameo appearance as himself in the Apatow-directed comedy Knocked Up, which starred Freaks and Geeks alumni Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Martin Starr.[21] Franco co-starred with Sienna Miller in the low-budget independent films Camille, a dark fantasy dramedy about a young newly wed couple and Interview, where he appears in a voice only role, both 2007 movies that were ignored by audiences and critics alike. Among his other 2007 projects were Good Time Max, which Franco wrote, directed and starred in. The movie premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and centers around two talented brothers who take very diverse paths in life, one going on to become a doctor whilst the other sibling (Franco) experiences unemployment and uses drugs. The actor chose to cast himself in that role because, "It was really just a process of elimination. I was better suited for this role than the responsible surgeon."[45]
2008–2010
He next starred in Pineapple Express (2008), a stoner comedy co-starring and co-written by Seth Rogen and produced by Judd Apatow.[26][46] Of Franco's character, Apatow said, "You tell him, 'Okay, you're going to play a pot dealer,' and he comes back with a three-dimensional character you totally believe exists. He takes it very seriously, even when it's comedy."[47] In her New York Times review, critic Manohla Dargis wrote: "He’s delightful as Saul, loosey-goosey and goofy yet irrepressibly sexy, despite that greasy curtain of hair and a crash pad with a zero WAF (Woman Acceptance Factor). It’s an unshowy, generous performance and it greatly humanizes a movie that, as it shifts genre gears and cranks up the noise, becomes disappointingly sober and self-serious."[48] His performance earned him a second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.[33] He has stated in some interviews that he no longer uses cannabis (although he has occasionally alluded to smoking marijuana, most notably during an extended segment on The Colbert Report).[49] He was awarded High Times magazine's Stoner of the Year Award for his work in Pineapple Express.[50] In 2008 he also appeared in two films by American artist Carter, exhibited at the Yvon Lambert gallery in Paris.[51] On September 20, 2008, he hosted the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL),[52] and a second time on December 19, 2009.[53]
Franco starred opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Emile Hirsch in Gus Van Sant's Milk (2008).[54] In the film, he played Scott Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk (Penn). Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times, in review of the film, wrote: "Franco is a nice match for him [Penn] as the lover who finally has enough of political life."[55] For his performance in the film, Franco won the Independent Spirit Award in the category for Best Supporting Actor.[56] In late 2009, he joined the cast of the daytime soap opera General Hospital on a recurring basis. He plays Franco, a multimedia artist much like himself,[8] who comes to Port Charles with unfinished business with mob enforcer Jason Morgan (Steve Burton).[57] Franco has called his General Hospital role performance art.
Franco began 2010 by making an appearance on the sitcom 30 Rock where he played himself and carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted by their respective agents.[58] After appearing in the commercial successes Date Night, an action comedy, and Eat Pray Love, an adaption of a novel, Franco played poet Allen Ginsberg in the drama Howl, released on September 24.[13] The latter, about his most known poem and the trial about the work, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and earned modest reviews.[38]
"I didn't have many actors to act opposite with. So the crew and the director and the writer, they all became my co-stars in a way and we all had this one character to share in. I, it was my body but we were all kinda jammed in there [the gully].
In his next project, 127 Hours, directed by Danny Boyle, Franco portrayed real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston. It was given a limited release starting on November 5, 2010.[60] 127 Hours centered on Ralston trying to free his hand after it became trapped under a boulder in a ravine while canyoneering alone in Utah and resorting to desperate measures in order to survive, eventually amputating his arm. During the five-week, 12-hours-per-day shoot, Franco would only leave the gully set to use the lavatory and would read books such as academic textbooks to keep busy.[61] Franco later called making 127 Hours a once in a lifetime experience.[59] To date, 127 Hours is one of his most well-reviewed movies[38] and was also a commercial success, earning $57.5 million against an $18 million budget.[60] His performance earned him universal acclaim from critics. Subsequently, he was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe and SAG award, as well as winning an Independent Spirit Award.
2011–present
On February 23, 2011, Franco made a cameo appearance on NBC's Minute to Win It where the real-life Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity.[62] After having an uncredited cameo in the opening scene of The Green Hornet (2011),[63] he starred opposite Natalie Portman and Danny McBride in the Medieval fantasy comedy Your Highness.[64] In the film he plays Fabious, a prince who teams up with his brother (McBride) to rescue the soon to be bride of Fabious (played by Zooey Deschanel). In May 2010, he was cast to star in Rupert Wyatt's $90 million budgeted Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series[65] which was released on August 5. Franco starred alongside Winona Ryder in The Letter, originally entitled The Stare, directed by Jay Anania. He was cast as a drug-addicted lawyer in About Cherry, also starring Heather Graham, which started shooting the following month in California.[66] He dropped out of the indie film While We're Young[67] to star in Oz the Great and Powerful, a Disney prequel to L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). Filming began in July 2011, and the film was released on March 8, 2013. He has signed to do a sequel to it.[68][69]
At the end of September 2010, the actor acquired the rights to Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries, with the intention to adapt, direct and star in the film.[70] It was announced in January 2011 that the actor has planned to, not only star in, but direct himself in The Night Stalker, a film version of author Philip Carlo's book about the 1980s serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Co-screenwriter of the screenplay, Nicholas Constantine, was initially unconvinced that Franco would be right for the movie, until he learned of Franco's desire to be a director and later watched three of his short films, one of which featured a serial killer, ultimately confirming to the writer that the actor had a darker side.[71] The actor also has plans to direct a film version of William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.[72] The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.[73]
In February 2012, Franco began shooting a film version of Cormac McCarthy's 1973 novella Child of God, which chronicles the depraved and violent impulses of a young Tennessee backwoodsman after he is dispossessed of his ancestral land. He is set to star alongside fellow Oscar nominee Jonah Hill and producer Brad Pitt in the upcoming film titled True Story. The film, which is based on a true story, will see Franco play Christian Longo, a man who was on the FBI's most wanted list for murdering his wife and three children in Oregon, and who had also been hiding under the identity of Michael Finkel, a journalist, played by Hill.[74] In 2013, Franco starred as the gangster "Alien" in Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, with Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Gucci Mane and Rachel Korine.
In March 2013, it was announced that Franco was set to make his Broadway stage debut in the role of George in a revival of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.[75]
Other projects
Franco produced and directed a documentary titled Saturday Night documenting a week in the production of an episode of SNL.[76] The film began as a short for an NYU class but grew due to his two episodes as host, while short stories he wrote for other classes appeared in Esquire and McSweeney's.[8] In summer 2010, the fictional Franco from General Hospital held an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, while the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum based on his experiences on the soap opera.[8]
His short films as director The Feast of Stephen and Herbert White were both presented within Maryland Film Festival in May, 2010. Another of his short movies, The Clerk's Tale, was screened in competition at the Hamptons Film Festival at the end of 2010.[70]
On October 19, 2010, Scribner published a collection of short stories, Palo Alto, by Franco.[77] The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. Inspired by some of Franco's own teenage memories [44] Palo Alto, and memories written and submitted by high school students at Palo Alto Senior High School,[78] consists of life in Palo Alto as experienced by a series of teenagers who spend most of their time indulging in driving drunk, using drugs and taking part in unplanned acts of violence. Each passage is told by a young narrator.[79] The book has received mixed reviews; Los Angeles Times called it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance."[77] The Guardian said that Franco's "foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source."[80] Writing in the New York Times, reviewer and fellow author Joshua Mohr praised Franco for how, in the story "American History", he juxtaposed historical parts with a present-day social commentary that "makes the we wonder how much we’ve actually evolved in post-bellum America."[81]
Publishers Weekly reviewed the collection, stating "The author fails to find anything remotely insightful to say in these 11 amazingly underwhelming stories."[82]
In January 2011, the actor screened his multimedia project entitled Three's Company The Drama, in which he merges video and art to update the former sitcom, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.[83] Franco reunited with Milk director Van Sant to make Unfinished, a project that features two movies: Endless Idaho and My Own Private River. Endless Idaho showcases edited outtakes, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage from the 1991 movie My Own Private Idaho, while My Own Private River focuses on the late actor River Phoenix.[84] The idea for the exhibition was conceived after Van Sant introduced unused footage from the 1991 film to Franco, inspiring him to turn it into something more. Unfinished opened from February 26 to April 9 at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.[84]
On February 27, 2011, he and Anne Hathaway hosted the 83rd Academy Awards. The two were selected to help the awards show achieve its goal of attracting a younger audience.[85] Franco had previously said that he accepted the job for the experience and because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.[86] Numerous media viewers criticized Franco for his discontent and lack of energy on stage and the show was widely panned, with some reviewers dubbing it the worst telecast in its history.[87][88][89] The actor later spoke about his hosting in an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman. He explained that when accepting the job he never had high hopes, adding “It was never on my list of things to do. It doesn’t mean I didn’t care and it doesn’t mean I didn’t try, right?” Regarding allegations that he was under the influence of marijuana while hosting, Franco commented "I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway. She has a lot of energy!" He concluded that he tried his best and could have had "low energy" during the telecast.[90]
A few months later, he continued talking about the hosting gig at an interview for Playboy. There he said he told a producer, “I don’t know why you hired me, because you haven’t given me anything. I just don’t think this stuff’s going to be good.” He also said he felt "kind of trapped in that material" and that there was "no way out."[91] He also admitted to a post-ceremony fight on Twitter with longtime Oscars writer Bruce Vilanch: When Vilanch intimated that the busy actor appeared less than fully committed to the job, Franco posted a photo of the two of them together graffiti-ed saying "James Fucked up the oscars. Trust me, I KNOW comedy. I mean, come on, I write for Bette Midler."[92] Franco explained to Playboy that "I personally do not do my best thinking when I’m angry. Before Twitter, I always had that buffer period when I could actually think and decide, Is this worth it? ... For me Twitter is a dangerous thing."[91]
In May, Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut at New York's Stella Adler studios, where he narrated all the performances. Entitled "Collage" and described as a "mixed-media piece", the show featured live dance, theater, music, and poetry. Tickets were free but were distributed on a first come, first serve basis.[93] The actor will also direct two short films for songs ("Blue" and "That Someone Is You") by R.E.M. from their album Collapse Into Now (2011).[94] Franco continued his career as a filmmaker with The Broken Tower, a 90-minute docudrama shot in black and white about poet Hart Crane, who committed suicide by jumping off the steamship SS Orizaba.[95] It originally started out as his masters thesis.[96] It was screened at 2011's Los Angeles Film Festival – among more than 200 feature films, short projects, and music videos from more than 30 countries.[97] It was released on DVD in 2012.
In September 2012, Franco announced the release of his band Daddy's first single Love in the Old Days and their first EP MotorCity.[98] On March 8, 2013, Franco received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard.
On July 9, 2013, Franco announced that he will be the featured roastee on the next Comedy Central Roast.[99] This will air on September 2, 2013.[100]
In the media
Viewed as a sex symbol, Franco was named the Sexiest Man Living in 2009 by Salon.com.[101] There has often been frequent media coverage of Franco, particularly regarding his interest in going to colleges. In addition to that, Franco has also claimed to have been strongly misquoted by reports in the media[102] and news outlets reporting erroneous information about him.[103] This led to the actor being parodied in an episode of SNL's Weekend Update segment, which an Entertainment Weekly writer deemed "clever".[104] In a 2011 interview, he stated:
I’ve been perceived as this guy yelling, "Hey, look at me. I want attention." I’m not going to school to get articles written about me. I’m just going to school. But the fact that I’m going to school or that someone takes a picture of me sleeping is like, "We’re gonna jump on that and criticize him for his antics." What antics? I write. I make movies. I’m going to school. I hosted the Oscars. I take these projects seriously.[102]
In response to questions regarding his sexuality now that he has portrayed three gay characters during his acting career, he insists he finds plenty more dimensions to the characters than their bedroom proclivities. "Or, you know what," he quipped, "maybe I’m just gay."[105] Those rumors led to a Gawker article linking him to a New York Post Page Six blind item about a closeted gay actor, nicknamed "the Gay Rapist". Despite the victim of the alleged attack denying that it was Franco, two magazines then contacted Franco's lawyer to alert them that they might run stories suggesting his involvement, but were unable to, as at least part of their stories were fabricated.[102] However, Gawker refused to take their article down as they were simply reporting what another outlet published and instead offered him a chance to make a comment about the speculation on its website. He declined, hoping it would die down. The actor later called the episode very offensive because he has friends who have been raped.[102]
In April 2012, Shalom Life ranked Franco and his brother, Dave, together as number two on its list of 50 talented and attractive Jewish men.[106] In 2013, Franco was featured as the cover model and featured focus in the men's magazine Man of the World.[107]
Personal life
In 2008, Franco was named as the face of Gucci's men's fragrance line.[108][109] Regarding his secular upbringing, he told The Guardian that he feels as if he has "missed out on the Jewish experience", but has been told not to worry about that by his Jewish friends and said in the same interview that he likes "the idea of religion as a source of community." When asked if he was a "believer", he responded "In God? I don't know. Yes. To a certain extent. It's a complicated question."[18] After meeting on the set of Whatever It Takes, Franco dated co-star Marla Sokoloff for five years.[110] He was later in a relationship with actress Ahna O'Reilly, until 2011.[110][111] He confirmed their separation in an interview for Playboy magazine's August 2011 issue, saying that his interest in education got between them.[102]
Education
Franco, dissatisfied with his career's direction,[8] reenrolled at UCLA in autumn 2006 as an English major with a creative writing concentration. He received permission to take as many as 62 course credits per quarter compared to the normal limit of 19,[112] while still continuing to act. He received his undergraduate degree in June 2008 with a GPA of 3.5/4.0.[112][8][113] For his degree, Franco prepared his departmental honors thesis as a novel under the supervision of Mona Simpson.[8][114] While at the university, the actor studied French, the Holocaust, philosophy of science, and American literature among other things. To continue acting, he would study on film sets.[18]
He was selected as the commencement speaker at his alma mater, UCLA, and was to speak at the ceremony on June 12, 2009. Several months before commencement, an editorial in the student newspaper questioned his "caliber" and a student created a Facebook page protesting the choice.[115] On June 3, Franco withdrew, citing a date conflict with location pre-production on a film.[116][117] On January 26, 2011, Franco and the Harvard Lampoon released a satirical video on prominent comedy website Funny or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation.[118]
He moved to New York to simultaneously attend graduate school at Columbia University's MFA writing program, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for filmmaking,[108][119][120][121] and Brooklyn College for fiction writing,[112] while also attending the low-residency writing program at North Carolina's Warren Wilson College for poetry.[8] He received his MFA from Columbia in 2010.[122] Franco is a PhD student in English at Yale University[5] and will also attend the Rhode Island School of Design.[8]
The actor opted against watching the 2011 Academy Award nominees be announced (where he was a top contender) in favor of attending class. "I’m not gonna miss class to go and presume that I’m going to be nominated, but if you want to bring out a camera crew to Yale and wait and see if I get nominated, I’d be happy to step out of class and say I’m very grateful", he commented.[123]
It was announced on March 2011 that Franco teaches a fall semester course on modifying poetry into short films to ten to twelve third-year graduate film students at NYU. The course will focus mainly on production, meaning that the students will be in charge of creating their own film based on poetry. At the time of the announcement the actor had yet to put together a syllabus, but has until the summertime to do so.[124]
When asked about his education, Franco said that he loves school and that it keeps him focused as well as grounded. "I go to school because I love being around people who are interested in what I’m interested in and I’m having a great experience... I’m studying things that I love so it’s not like it’s a chore", he told the Washington Post, according to a New York Magazine article.[125] Franco has also credited his education for helping him "take acting seriously" when his parents did not see it as a successful post-college career.[10]
Franco developed an aptitude for art—painting in particular—during his high school years while attending the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA).[20] Franco has said painting was the "outlet" he needed in high school, and he "has actually been painting longer than he has been acting."[126] His paintings were displayed publicly for the first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles, from January 7, through February 11, 2006.[20][127] He launched his first European art exhibition in 2011 at Peres Projects in Berlin.[79] He enjoys reading on the set of his films. Pineapple Express producer Judd Apatow has said of him: "He's a very education-minded person. We used to laugh because in between takes he'd be reading The Iliad on set. We still haven't read The Iliad. It was a very difficult book. With him, it was always James Joyce or something."[128]
In an interview with Showbiz411, on September 23, 2010, Franco made the erroneous public announcement that he received a "D" grade in "Acting" class at the NYU Graduate Film School. It was in fact a "Directing the Actor" class. Franco admitted to missing most of his classes that semester. A professor at New York University, José Angel Santana, alleged that Franco did not earn his grades while attending that school, stating that Franco missed over 80% of his classes and only received high marks and a degree because of his celebrity status as an actor.[129] In September 2012, Santana filed a lawsuit against Franco for defamation seeking unspecified damages.[130][131]
He defended himself when he was on the Howard Stern Show, stating that he missed the classes to film 127 Hours. Franco has taught at USC, UCLA, CalArts and NYU in Film and English departments. For his students' film projects, he has helped to attach actors including Seth MacFarlane, Kate Mara, Natalie Portman, Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Wiig and Olivia Wilde.[132] In March 2013, Franco was featured in half-page print advertisements for his alma mater UCLA which celebrated the university's famous alumnus as a "prolific academic," and carried the tagline: 'Some A-Listers Actually Get A's.[133]
Charitable work
Franco has said "aiding others is the key to life, the key to happiness and, as an actor, you can get wrapped up in yourself and your career...A little secret is one of the greatest ways to break that is to stop thinking about yourself for a second."[134] When Franco was at a point in his life where he wanted to give back but was unsure how, he asked his Spider-Man co-star Kirsten Dunst for advice. At the suggestion of Dunst, he started volunteering at the charity Art of Elysium, where she also volunteers, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He said the experience helped save his life. In January 2011, at the Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, Franco was honored for his work at the hospital, receiving the Spirit of Elysium accolade.[135]
On March 31, 2011, the actor took part in "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington DC dinner benefit for 826DC, a non-profit foundation created to help neighborhood students reach their goals, as well as provide after-school literature programs and workshops which encourage them to improve their writing skills. Franco became involved with Dave Eggers' 826 National after Eggers asked him to do a conceptual idea for the program, and he directed a documentary for them and has since been a supporter of them. At the event, he spoke about how he thought schools needed to be more original with their literature programs. "Writing can do things that video cannot", he added.[136] In April 2011, Franco autographed a T-shirt that would auctioned-off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds being donated for the occurred Japanese tsunami relief.[137] On June 14, he was honored by amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research, at the Museum of Modern Art. Franco received the Piaget Award of Inspiration for his humanitarian work and contributions to men’s style.[138]
In April 2013, Franco received the "Ally Award" at the 15th annual Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The award was presented to him in recognition of his unwavering support of the LGBT community.[139]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Pacific Blue | Brian | Episode: Matters of the Heart |
1998 | 1973[150] | Greg | TV film |
1999 | To Serve and Protect[151] | Kristin Carter | TV film |
Profiler | Stevie | Episode: Three Carat Crisis | |
1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Daniel Desario | |
2001 | James Dean | James Dean | TV film Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Television Film Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
The X-Files | Officer No.2 | ||
2009–2012 | General Hospital | Franco | 54 episodes |
2010 | 30 Rock | Himself | Episode: Klaus and Greta |
2012 | FCU: Fact Checkers Unit | James | Episode: James Franco Is Preggers |
Hollywood Heights | Osborne "Oz" Silver | 4 episodes |
Selected works
- Franco, James. "A Star, a Soap and the Meaning of Art." The Wall Street Journal, December 4, 2009.
- Franco, James. "Just Before the Black." Esquire, March 24, 2010.
- Franco, James (2010). Palo Alto: Stories. Scribner. ISBN 978-1-4391-6314-6.
Discography
Albums
- 2011: "Turn It Up (feat. James Franco) - EP" - collaboration with Kalup Linzy
- 2012: "MotorCity" EP - with Tim O'Keefe, as the duo "Daddy"
Musics in Other Albums
- 2013: "Hanging With Da Dopeboys" - feat. DangeRuss from album "Spring Breakers (Music from the Motion Picture)"
- 2013: "I Love You" - feat. Kalup Linzy from album "Romantic Loner"
References
- ^ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly (1255/1256): 31. Mar 19/26, 2013.
{{cite journal}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b "James Franco Biography (1978–)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ Rathe, Adam (August 4, 2011). "James Franco, NYU professor, reveals details of his class; Students will transfer poetry to film". Daily News. New York. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ Amy Kaufman (October 9, 2012). "James Franco to teach film class at USC". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ a b Zuckerman, Esther (March 28, 2010). "Now He Can Fall Asleep in LC Too". Yale Daily News. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
- ^ Natalie Finn (October 4, 2011). "James Franco's Father Dies at 63". E! Online. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
- ^ a b Marquis Who's Who, Inc (1991). Who's who of emerging leaders in America. Marquis Who's Who. ISBN 0-8379-7202-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Anderson, Sam. "The James Franco Project" New York, July 25, 2010.
- ^ Wolfson, Jill (September/October 2009). "Penciling in a Career". Stanford Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h "James Franco" Inside the Actors Studio December 7, 2010
- ^ "Carrol Verovitz in the 1940 Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ^ Rhone, Paysha (February 14, 2009). "Spidey foe meets his match in Harvard's Hasty Pudding crew". Boston Globe. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
- ^ a b Ganahl, Jane (January 23, 2010). "Howl's Cast and Crew On the Road to Sundance". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ Commire, Anne (1985). Something about the Author, Volume 38. Gale Research. p. 77. ISBN 0-8103-0071-0.
- ^ Spevack, Violet (January 31, 2002). "Cavalcade". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
- ^ Spevack, Violet (October 23, 2009). "Cavalcade 10/23". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
- ^ "Case Western Reserve University". Admission Case. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Raphael, Amy (January 24, 2009). "Acting clever". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
- ^ Van Sant, Gus. "James Franco". Interview. p. 1. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "James Franco Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Soll, Lindsay (September 29, 2006). "10 Things You Don't Know About James Franco". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ Posner, Michael (August 5, 2008). "Top of the food chain". Globe and Mail. Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Buchanan, Kyle (May 5, 2011). "James Franco Is Not Above Working at McDonald's". Vulture. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^ "Shout! Factory — Freaks And Geeks". Shout Factory. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Guider, Elizabeth (October 14, 2010). "IFC picks up two Judd Apatow series". Hollywood Reporter.
{{cite web}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help); Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ a b "United Press International". Franco to reunite with Freaks pals. United Press International. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ Van Sant, Gus. "James Franco". Interview. p. 4. Retrieved March 3, 2009. [dead link ]
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (March 31, 2000). "What It Takes Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Scott, A.O. (March 24, 2000). "Whatever It Takes Review". New York Times. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Carter, Kelly (July 27, 2001). "James Franco: The next James Dean". USA Today. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ a b Lee, Chris (August 6, 2008). "James Franco plays against type in 'Pineapple Express'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Tucker, Ken (August 3, 2001). "James Dean TV Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
- ^ a b "HFPA — Awards Search". Golden Globes. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ "8th Annual SAG Awards Nominee — Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ "2002 Emmys". CNN.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ "Mike Clark review". USA Today. May 3, 2002. Retrieved January 23, 2007.
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (April 19, 2002). "Spider-Man Review". Variety. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "James Franco". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ a b c "James Franco Movie Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
- ^ a b c Murray, Rebecca; Topel Fred. "James Franco Talks About "Sonny"". About.com. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Lumenick, Lou (December 27, 2002). "Sonny". New York Post.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ B., Scotty (September 4, 2002). "An Interview with James Franco". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ "Spider-Man 2 (2004)". Box Office Mojo. June 30, 2004. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
- ^ a b Potts, Kim (November 2, 2010). "'127' Facts About James Franco". Moviefone. March 6, 2011. Cite error: The named reference "127facts" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Thomson, Katherine (April 30, 2007). "James Franco is Good Time Max". Huffington Post. USA: TheHuffingtonPost.com Inc. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
- ^ Travers, Peter (August 7, 2008). "Pineapple Express Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Mock, Janet. "James Franco Timeline". People. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Dargis, Manohla (August 6, 2008). "'Pineapple Express' – Stoners Who Put the Bud in Buddies". The New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2008.
- ^ "James Franco Pt. 2 – The Colbert Report – 2011-05-04 – Video Clip | Comedy Central". Colbertnation.com. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
- ^ Hager, Steven (September 30, 2008). "Franco's First Time". High Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
- ^ Freydkin, Donna (April 7, 2009). "Franco takes 'Erased James Franco' to art". USA Today. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- ^ Boedeker, Hal (September 21, 2008). ""Saturday Night Live" with James Franco improves in week two, but still far from its peak". Orlando Sentinel.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ Roberts, Soraya (December 20, 2009). "James Franco hosts 'Saturday Night Live': Actor pulls an Adam Lambert with man-on-man kiss". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
- ^ Freydkin, Donna (August 3, 2008). "'Pineaple' star Franco digs deep, plays stoner and serious". USA Today. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Turan, Kenneth (November 26, 2008). "Review: 'Milk'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 23, 2009. [dead link ]
- ^ Smith, Neil (February 22, 2009). "Rourke steals Spirit award show". BBC News. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
Other acting awards went to Melissa Leo and Penélope Cruz, both of whom are also up for Oscars, and to James Franco for his supporting role in Milk.
- ^ Bryant, Adam (October 1, 2009). "James Franco to Appear on General Hospital". TV Guide. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
- ^ Stanhope, Kate (November 3, 2009). "James Franco to Guest-Star on 30 Rock". TV Guide. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
- ^ a b 2011 Independent Spirit Awards
- ^ a b "127 Hours". Box Office Mojo.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ Shone, Tom (January 4, 2011). "A class apart: interview with James Franco". The Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ "James Franco Gives Encouragement to Aron Ralston on 'Minute to Win It'". Hollywood Reporter. March 4, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ Butler, Robert W. (January 13, 2011). "'The Green Hornet' has dull plot, lame humor". Kansas City Star. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved March 7, 2011. [dead link ]
- ^ Kit, Borys (May 30, 2009). "Natalie Portman signs on for comedy "Your Highness"". The Hollywood Reporter. Reuters. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
- ^ Siegel, Tatiana (May 20, 2010). "James Franco to star in 'Apes'". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ^ Snieder, Jeff (May 18, 2011). "Franco, Graham, Patel board indie 'Cherry'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
- ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (March 6, 2011). "Noah Baumbach's 'While We're Young' Loses James Franco & Cate Blanchett; Ben Stiller Still In". IndieWire. Snagfilms. Retrieved March 6, 2011. [dead link ]
- ^ "Chatter: Who Should Replace Sam Raimi as Director of the Oz Sequel?". Fandango.com. March 11, 2013.
- ^ "Cast Signed for 'Oz: The Great & Powerful' Sequel But Not Sam Raimi". firstshowing.net. March 11, 2013.
- ^ a b Fleming, Mike (September 29, 2010). "James Franco Buys 'The Adderall Diaries'". Deadline Hollywood. Mail.com Media Corporation. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ Zakarin, Jordan (January 16, 2011). "James Franco: 'The Night Stalker' Star And Director". Huffington Post. USA: TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ Friedman, Devin. "Leading Man: James Franco." GQ Dec. 2010: 286–88
- ^ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes. April 20, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
- ^ Nicholson, Max. "Hill, Franco Join Pitt for True Story – Movies News at IGN". Movies.ign.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
- ^ Dzieemianowicz, Joe (March 6, 2013). "James Franco Says He's Coming to Broadway to Star in 'Of Mice and Men'". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ Itzkoff, Dave (May 3, 2010). "Things We Learned About 'Saturday Night Live' From James Franco's Documentary". The New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- ^ a b "A life in constant motion". iol.co.za. January 5, 2011.
- ^ Ram, Megha. "James Franco requests Paly students' short stories". PalyVoice.
- ^ a b Pidd, Helen (February 20, 2011). "The many lives of James Franco". The Guardian. London. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ Killian Fox (February 1, 2011). "Palo Alto by James Franco – review". The Guardian. UK.
- ^ Mohr, Joshua (October 22, 2010). "Teen Spirit, Soured". New York Times. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ ""Francowatch" The New York Observer". Observer.com. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
- ^ Rancilio, Alicia (January 25, 2011). "James Franco Talks 'Crazy Projects' at Sundance". ABC News. American Broadcasting Company. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ a b Ng, David (February 23, 2011). "James Franco, Gus Van Sant exhibition coming this week to Gagosian Gallery". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ King, Susan (November 29, 2010). "James Franco, Anne Hathaway to host Oscar telecast".
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ Jimmy Kimmel Live!. December 2, 2010. ABC Studios.
- ^ "Critics: Oscars Were Historic Bomb". WTXF-TV. February 28, 2011. Retrieved February 29, 2011.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ TheVideoMan (February 28, 2011). "83rd Oscars Review: To Hip To Be Square?". CNN. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (February 27, 2011). "Oscars: "King" wins, show loses". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times Media Group. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ Shira, Dahvi (March 31, 2011). "James Franco & David Letterman Swap Oscar Horror Stories". People. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ a b "Playboy Interview: James Franco".
- ^ "James Franco Tweets Bruce Vilanch Graffiti Photo In Response To Oscar Criticism (PHOTO)". The Huffington Post.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Buchanan, Kyle (April 29, 2011). "James Franco to Mount Dance-Theater Show". New York Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ "James Franco, Sam Taylor-Wood guest direct new REM videos". NME. UK. March 2, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (June 15, 2011). "James Franco Q & A: His Film on Tortured Gay Poet Hart Crane". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ Vilensky, Mike (December 10, 2010). "James Franco on Playing Sailor-Chasing Poet Hart Crane". New York Magazine. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
- ^ Kaufman, Amy (May 11, 2011). "2011 Los Angeles Film Festival will welcome stars Guillermo del Toro, James Franco, Ryan Reynolds and more". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ Collins, Sean. "Premiere: James Franco's Motown-Inspired 'Love in the Old Days'". Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ "Comedy Central roast - wsup - James Franco - Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ "Comedy Central Roast of James Franco". Comedy Central. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ Hepola, Sarah (November 19, 2009). "Sexiest Man Living 2009". Salon.com. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Rebello, Stephen (July 11, 2011). "Playboy Interview: JAMES FRANCO". Playboy. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ Charlie Rose Public Broadcasting System April 19, 2011.
- ^ Tucker, Ken (February 6, 2011). "'Saturday Night Live' recap: Dana Carvey brought his old characters, some old friends, and Justin Bieber". Entrainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (January 7, 2011). "James Franco's Maybe I'm just gay'- and why we love it". Los Angeles Times blog. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Wallace, Chris. "James Franco". Man of the World. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
- ^ a b Kamp, David (December 2008). "Franco cum Laude". Vanity Fair. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
- ^ Pearlman, Cindy (November 30, 2008). "James Franco a big man in 'Milk' – and on campus". Chicago Sun-Times.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ a b Dinh, Mai. "James Franco Biography". People.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Freydkin, Donna (August 3, 2008). "'Pineapple' star Franco digs deep, plays stoner and serious". USA Today. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
- ^ a b c Schmelzer, Randi (January 1, 2009). "Smart Set". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
- ^ Black, Rosemary (August 27, 2008). "Brad Pitt explores other options". Daily News (New York). p. 2. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- ^ Schmelzer, Randi (January 1, 2009). "Smart Set". UCLA Magazine Online. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
- ^ Snierson, Dan (June 4, 2009). "James Franco drops out of UCLA graduation speech". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Boatright-Simon, Elizabeth Kivowitz (June 3, 2009). "James Franco not speaking at UCLA commencement ceremony" (Press release). UCLA Office of Media Relations and Public Outreach. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
{{cite press release}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Schaefer, Samantha (June 3, 2009). "Franco cancels as commencement keynote". Daily Bruin. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
- ^ "James-Franco's-Rejected-UCLA-Commencement-Speech". Funny or Die. July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
- ^ Evans, Sean (August 6, 2008). "Side Dish: Write on, James Franco". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Froelich, Paula (September 10, 2008). "No Ogling!". New York Post. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Academia: James Franco To Sexify Morningside Heights". Gawker.com. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
- ^ Finnegan, Leah (March 29, 2010). "James Franco To Get Yet Another Degree At Yale?". Huffington Post.
- ^ "James Franco puts school before awards". Daily Telegraph. January 25, 2011.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ Staskiewicz, Keith (March 29, 2011). "James Franco to teach film course at NYU, but no syllabus as of yet". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Duboff, Josh (March 3, 2010). "James Franco to Teach Yale Students". New York Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "Lindzi.com Your Connection to the Stars". James Franco. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
- ^ Oldenburg, Ann (August 14, 2002). "Celebrities pour passion into artwork". USA Today. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ Freydkin, Donna (August 5, 2008). "'Pineapple' star Franco digs deep, plays stoner and serious". USA Today. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
- ^ "Professor: NYU Fired Me for Giving James Franco a 'D'". Fox News. December 19, 2011.
- ^ Child, Ben (September 5, 2012). "James Franco's former teacher sues actor for defamation". The Guardian. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ^ Doty, Meriah (September 6, 2012). "'Bully' James Franco being sued by former NYU professor". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ^ "James Franco: The Great Wizard of Academia". UKScreen. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ The New Yor Times. March 24, 2013. p. 21.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help); Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Chen, Joyce (December 8, 2010). "James Franco credits obsession, UCLA education, giving back for success: 'Inside the Actors Studio'". Daily News. New York. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "James Franco saved by Kirsten Dunst's charity advice". The Arizona Republic. January 17, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- ^ Farazad, Roshan (April 4, 2011). "Charity Spotlight: Evening With James Franco". Washington Life Magazine. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (April 13, 2011). "Robert Pattinson Takes Off Shirt For Japan Relief". Viacom. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
- ^ "James Franco Honored by amfAR". The Advocate. Here Media Inc. May 31, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ "James Franco to accept ally award". PRNEWSWIRE.com. Retrieved 4/9/2013.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ Bernstein, Paula (May 2, 2000). "VH1 greenlights telepic 'At Any Cost'". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Sokolic, William H. (December 9, 2006). "When movie producer Bo Zenga yearns for home, he returns to his roots in Margate". Courier Post. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
He also executive produced the independent If Tomorrow Comes, which stars Golden Globe winner James Franco.
(subscription required) - ^ Cockrell, Eddie (October 26, 2001). "Review: "Blind Spot"". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Benigno, Anthony (September 10, 2010). "James Franco enjoys the challenge of playing homosexual roles onscreen - but insists he's 'not gay'". Daily News (New York). Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ "US Independent Producer/Distributor to Release Films on HD VMD". Sys-Con Media. May 8, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
Mother Ghost starring James Franco
- ^ Hinds, Julie (August 5, 2011). "James Franco glad to push boundaries in 'Apes'". Detroit Free Press. Omaha.com. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
This isn't Franco's first brush with ape movies. He co wrote, directed and starred in 2005's "The Ape,"
- ^ "Review: "Good Time Max"". Variety. May 11, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Chang, Justin (September 5, 2011). "Review: "Sal"". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Dickey, Scott L. (May 14, 2012). "James Franco shepherds two poetry-themed pix". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (February 11, 2013). "Review: "Maladies"". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ "1973 (TV)". Screenrush.co.uk. AlloCiné. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ "James Franco na "Rockefeller Plaza 30"" (in Polish). Wirtualna Polska. November 5, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
External links
Template:Oscars hosts 2001-2020
- 1978 births
- 20th-century American actors
- 21st-century American actors
- Actors from the San Francisco Bay Area
- American Jews
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American people of Madeiran descent
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- American people of Swedish descent
- American soap opera actors
- Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners
- Columbia University alumni
- Independent Spirit Award winners
- Jewish American actors
- LGBT rights activists from the United States
- Living people
- Palo Alto High School alumni
- People from Palo Alto, California
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
- Yale University alumni