James Franco says long friendship with Seth Rogen is ‘over’

The 46-year-old US actor, who began starring alongside Rogen in 1999 comedy show Freaks And Geeks, before working with him on Pineapple Express, This Is the End and The Disaster Artist, was accused of sexual misconduct in 2018.

Franco is promoting his post-war drama Hey Joe at the Rome Film Festival, after being largely absent from Hollywood filmmaking for several years.

Asked by Variety if he was in touch with Rogen, he said: “No. 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.”

Comedy film Zeroville, which Franco directed and starred in alongside Rogen, was released in 2019.

He has previously said allegations from several women were “not accurate” but he did not want to “shut down” people who “did not have a voice”.

But he told The Jess Cagle Podcast it was “wrong” to sleep with students at his acting school, adding “it wasn’t a masterplan on my part”.

Franco also told Variety he used to be an “workaholic”, and he wished he had “appreciated” good moments including being up for awards at the height of his career.

He added: “I’m kind of grateful because it did afford me a chance to just do whatever private work and really change what I need to change.”

Franco agreed to pay a 2.2 million dollar (£1.6 million) settlement in 2021 after being accused of pushing female students to engage in explicit sex scenes on camera.

He was nominated for the best actor Oscar for 127 Hours in 2010, and directed The Disaster Artist, which received an Academy Award writing nod for adapted screenplay.