James Franco has confirmed that his 20-year friendship with Seth Rogen has ended. The two had a close bond and collaborated on multiple projects, including films like “Pineapple Express” and “The Interview.” However, their friendship became strained after Franco was accused of sexual misconduct in 2018.
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In an interview with Variety, Franco mentioned that he hasn’t spoken to Rogen in a long time. He indicated that their friendship might be over after several unsuccessful attempts to reach out to him. “I haven’t talked to Seth, I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over. And not for a lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me,” he explained. However, Rogen has distanced himself from Franco in 2021 following a settlement of his misconduct lawsuit, Page Six reported.
“I despise abuse and harassment and 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,” the comedian explained in an interview with The Sunday Times. The allegations against Franco surfaced in 2018 when several former acting students accused him of “sexually exploiting” them at his now-closed acting school, Studio 4.
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Franco agreed to pay a $2.2 million settlement with two former students who alleged he used his film school for inappropriate and sexually charged behavior. Due to the allegations, the actor took a four-year hiatus from acting and said he was focusing on personal growth and reflection.
“Whatever had been going on with me before, I had to change my whole way of life. 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.”
