They were once one of the greatest bromances that the comedy sphere had ever seen, but James Franco has officially confirmed that his friendship with Seth Rogen is ‘over’.
The duo first worked together back in 1999 on the TV show, Freaks and Geeks, before going on to star alongside each other in the likes of Pineapple Express, The Interview, This Is The End and The Disaster Artist.
In January 2018, sexual misconduct accusations against Franco, which he described at the time as being ‘not accurate’ but he didn’t want to ‘shut down’ people who ‘didn’t have a voice’, came to light in January 2018, which culminated in the actor agreeing to pay $2.23 million (£1.67million) to settle a lawsuit brought by two former students who had attended his now-defunct film school, Studio 4.
The 46-year-old has largely stayed out of the spotlight for the last six years in wake of the controversy and only made his first public appearance in more than half a decade back in May this year.
However, Franco has now reflected on his dramatic fall from grace in a new interview with Variety.
James Franco and Seth Rogen were on screen together for two decades (Columbia Pictures)
The 127 Hours actor said he was ‘grateful to be working’ while discussing the upcoming release of his new film Hey Joe, adding that his years away from film sets allowed him to ‘really change what he needed to to change’.
He told the publication: “I did go through a lawsuit, and during that lawsuit I wasn’t working. But then COVID hit so everybody wasn’t working. So, I don’t know, it was all…I mean, we were all kind of in it.
“So it was sort of like, ‘I don’t know what I am’. But I did certainly use the time to, I hope, good purpose.
He continued: “And whatever had been going on with me before, I had to change my whole way of life. So I am proud of the kind of work I did during that time.
“And yeah, I wasn’t working in movies, but I certainly was doing a lot of work to change who I was.”
Franco then revealed he and the Bad Neighbours star no longer communicate with each other: “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. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”
Franco’s longtime collaborator and close pal, Rogen, publicly distanced himself from the actor in May 2021 after previously stating that he would continue to work with his Pineapple Express co-star, however, he later told the Sunday Times that things had ‘changed’ in their relationship.
The Pineapple Express co-stars no longer have a relationship (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
“What I can say is that 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.
“I 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.
“I can say it, um, you know, it has changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic.”
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Podcast in 2021, Franco heaped praise on Rogen while addressing his former friend’s change of heart about continuing their relationship.
“I love Seth Rogen,” he said. “I worked with him for 20 years. We didn’t have one fight for 20 years. Not one fight. He was my absolute closest work friend, collaborator. We just gelled.
“What he said is true. You know, we aren’t working together right now and we don’t have any plans to work together.
“Of course, it was hurtful, in context, but I get it. He had to answer for me ’cause I was silent. He had to answer for me, and I don’t want that.
“So that’s why, that’s one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today: I don’t want Seth or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.”
LADbible has contacted Rogen’s reps for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
