#Seth Rogen Doesn’t Plan to Work with James Franco Again Following Misconduct Allegations

Seth Rogen’s professional relationship with James Franco might be over. In years past, the two actors have frequently been seen together in various movie projects, from The Pineapple Express to The Disaster Artist to the much troubled The Interview. More recently, Rogen has been criticized for allegedly overlooking sexual misconduct allegations against Franco after claiming in 2018 that they’d continue to work together.

In a new interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, Seth Rogen finally shed some new light on the situation, and his opinion of Franco appears to be far less favorable. Looking back upon his comments in 2018, Rogen claims he hasn’t actually collaborated with Franco since, adding that he has “no plans” to reunite for a new project in the future. From the interview:
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“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.”

Last month, actress Charlene Yi took to Instagram to accuse Franco of being a “sexual predator” that allegedly tried to bribe her with a bigger acting role shen she wanted to quit the project. Yi also specifically slammed Rogen, saying he “definitely knows about the bribe” and serves as an enabler. She also criticized Rogen for doing an SNL sketch joking about Franco’s allegations, “enabling Franco preying on children.” Asked if he believes Yi’s accusations, here’s what Rogen had to say.

“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. However, I do look back at a joke I made on Saturday Night Live in 2014 and I very much regret making that joke. It was a terrible joke, honestly.”

The SNL joke in question was a part of Rogen’s monologue when he hosted the show in 2018. Referring to allegations from a 17-year-old girl that Franco tried to meet up with her at a hotel, Franco joked that he “pranked” Franco by posing as a young girl on Instagram. Franco himself later appeared to also joke that he’d been “waiting at the Ace Hotel for three days.”

First sharing the screen together in the short-lived comedy series Freaks and Geeks in 1999, Rogen and Franco have been friends for over two decades. Rogen admits in his Sunday Times Magazine interview that the accusations have affected their friendship, but he doesn’t know at this time if he can say they are no longer friends.

“I don’t know if I can define that right now during this interview. I can say it, um, you know, it has changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic. [It’s painful], but not as painful and difficult as it is for a lot of other people involved. I have no pity for myself in this situation.”

Rogen produced and appeared in last year’s HBO Max original An American Pickle, which had no involvement from Franco. He is also producing the upcoming thriller Cobweb which stars Antony Starr and Lizzy Caplan, but similarly won’t include Franco’s involvement. This news comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter.

Topics: Sexual Misconduct