Seth Rogen reveals he has no plans to ever work with James Franco again after sexual misconduct allegations

In the early noughties, Canadian comedic actor Seth Rogen and James Franco seemed to be besties as they appeared alongside each other in a series of comedies, including TV’s Freaks and Geeks, The Pineapple Express, This is the End, and The Disaster Artist. But in an explosive new interview, Seth Rogen admits that he has no plans to ever work with Franco again due to several sexual misconduct allegations made against Franco.

“What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment,” Seth told The Sunday Times, “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.”

Franco’s sexual misconduct allegations, made by several different women, first became public in 2014 when he admitted to pursuing a 17-year-old girl on Instagram, apologizing publicly. Later in 2018, students from his now-defunct acting school Studio 4 filed a lawsuit against the 127 Hours actor, alleging that he forced them to participate in sexually explicit sex scenes in class with the implied promise of roles in his future movies. That suit was recently settled in February for an undisclosed sum.

In 2014, Seth told a rather off-colour joke about Franco’s grooming of an underage girl on Saturday Night Live, saying during the monologue, “I decided to prank James Franco. I posed as a girl on Instagram, told him I was way young. He seemed unfazed. I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel.” Franco appeared alongside Seth during this joke.

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

“I also 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,” he continued.

Seth also noted that it’s “not a coincidence” that he hasn’t worked with Franco in many years and that their professional relationship is seemingly strained due to these allegations of misconduct.

“I don’t know if I can define that right now during this interview,” Rogen said of their relationship. “I can say it, um, you know, it has changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic.”

Seth also deflected any inference that the breakdown of their friendship is painful. “Not as painful and difficult as it is for a lot of other people involved. I have no pity for myself in this situation.”

Seth’s comments seem to be a direct reply to actress Charlyne Yi, who recently posted on Instagram, accusing Seth of being “an enabler” to Franco’s sexually predatory behaviour.

Yi, who appeared alongside both actors in The Disaster Artist, wrote on Instagram that when she tried to quit the film, she was offered a bigger role, which she describes as a bribe. “Seth Rogen was one of the producers on this film so he definitely knows about the bribe and why I quit,” she wrote. “Seth also did a sketch on SNL with Franco enabling Franco preying on children. Right after Franco was caught. Franco has a long history of preying on children.”

In the photo of her post, she calls Franco a “f***king sexual predator.”

Yi also appeared alongside Rogen in 2007’s Knocked Up.

At press time, Franco has not publicly responded to Seth’s comments.

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