Seth Rogen Discusses the End of His Friendship with James Franco

Seth Rogen is reaffirming his choice to sever ties with one of Hollywood’s well-known collaborations.

Years following the sexual misconduct allegations against James Franco, Rogen insists his stance hasn’t shifted, both in personal and professional terms.

In a recent interview, he was asked about his long friendship with Franco, with whom he partnered in several successful projects like Pineapple Express, This Is the End, and The Interview. Rogen distanced himself from Franco after the allegations that emerged in 2018.

Addressing how he navigated the end of such a significant friendship, Rogen acknowledged the deeply personal nature of this topic.

“I’m considering just how much I want to share about this,” he stated during an appearance on the podcast “The Daily”.

The conversation highlighted society’s ongoing struggle with accountability, forgiveness, and the question of whether troubled public figures can be reintegrated into our lives.

Rogen didn’t elaborate further but made it clear that his viewpoint remains unchanged.

“To be honest, the details are too personal for me to go into right now. There’s this public aspect that I’ve previously addressed, and I’m maintaining the same public stance,” he mentioned.

“I think the evidence of my position is quite clear. I haven’t collaborated with him in years, but the personal side… it’s complicated. There are people involved that make this difficult for me to discuss,” he added.

“I’m not sure what value there is in delving deeper right now, but I can say this—nothing has really altered since we last talked about it,” he noted.

Rogen then made a definite statement about their relationship moving forward: “I haven’t worked with him in a long time, and I don’t have any plans to do so.”

When asked if they still communicate, Rogen replied, “I haven’t talked to him in a long time.”

These comments arise as Franco seeks to revive his acting career after facing serious allegations of inappropriate behavior.

The allegations first came to light in a Los Angeles Times report in January 2018, where multiple women accused him of misconduct.

A year later, former students filed a class-action lawsuit against a drama school he co-founded, claiming it pressured students into performing explicit scenes and acted inappropriately towards female attendees. The suit stated that students were misled about acting opportunities and treated as objects of exploitation.

Franco settled the lawsuit in June 2021, agreeing to pay $2.235 million.

Regardless of the scandals, Franco gradually returned to acting and spoke about its impact during a 2024 interview while promoting the Italian film Hey Joe.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the job,” Franco expressed. “I went through a lawsuit and, during that time, I wasn’t working. Then COVID-19 hit, and suddenly no one was working. So, I guess we were all in a situation wondering, ‘What am I?’

Franco also shared his thoughts on his friendship with Rogen, noting that despite his attempts to reconnect, they haven’t come together again.

“No, I haven’t talked to Seth,” Franco said. “I love Seth. We had 20 wonderful years together, and I think that’s over. It wasn’t for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he means to me.”

Franco is widely recognized for his roles in films such as Spider-Man and 127 Hours.