James Franco recently confirmed that his longstanding friendship with Seth Rogen has officially come to an end

Once, the comic co-stars of iconic collaborations Freaks and Geeks, Pineapple Express, The Interview, This Is The End, and The Disaster Artist were one of comedies celebrated duos. Things between them started to break down, however, after allegations of sexual misconduct against Franco surfaced in early 2018. While Franco called the allegations “not accurate,” he added he didn’t want to “shut down” the people who made the allegations. Franco later settled with two former students of his film school, Studio 4, for $2.23 million.

The 46-year-old actor has, by and large, remained absent from the public scene since the accusations first emerged; his most recent sighting marked his first public appearance in over six years, this May 2024. Speaking with Variety about the hiatus, Franco said he used the time away from film to make major changes in his life and felt “grateful to be working” as he promoted his new movie Hey Joe. “Whatever was going on with me prior, I had to, pretty much, change my whole life,” said Franco, who credited the break to taking the time to work on himself.

Reflecting on his falling out with Rogen, Franco shared that they are no longer in touch. “I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth; we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” he remarked, mentioning that he had reached out to express how much their friendship meant to him. Rogen initially showed support for Franco but later distanced himself publicly in 2021, acknowledging the shift in their relationship. At the time, Rogen told The Sunday Times, “I despise that he misrepresented my actions to the world. I hate that he hurt people, and both Seth and Evan have been deeply affected by it.”

While Franco was sad for the death of their friendship, he said he understood Rogen’s response. In a 2021 interview with The Jess Cagle Podcast, Franco detailed, “Of course, it was hurtful, but I get it. “”He had to speak on my behalf because I stayed silent. I don’t want Seth or anyone else to have to speak for me anymore.”

Article Source: ladbible