NEWSSeth Rogen Reveals Where He Stands With James Franco 5 Years After Friendship Fallout Over Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit
Seth Rogen discussed his relationship with James Franco in a new interview.
June 16 2026, Updated 6:58 p.m. ET
Seth Rogen opened up about where his friendship stands with James Franco, five years after the actor distanced himself from his frequent collaborator following his settlement of a sexual misconduct lawsuit.
“I’m trying to think how much I want to personally share about this,” Rogen, 44, began in an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday, June 13.
Seth Rogen Cut James Franco Off After Sexual Misconduct Allegations
'I haven’t talked to him in a long time,' Seth Rogen said.
“I honestly think the nuance of it is too personal for me to get into right now,” Rogen said. “It is a very personal thing. There’s the public-facing side of it, which I’ve spoken about, and I have the same stance publicly that I’ve had, and I think the proof is in the pudding — I have not worked with him in years.”
He continued, “But the personal side of it is just so nuanced, and it involves people that I don’t know if I should be dragging into this. I don’t know what I would benefit from getting deeply into it. Nothing has changed since the last time I talked about all this, and I haven’t worked with him in a really long time and I have no plans to.”
They don’t keep in touch.
“I haven’t talked to him in a long time, no,” he said.
The Backstory on Seth Rogen and James Franco’s Friendship
Seth Rogen met James Franco on 'Freaks and Geeks' in 1999.
The pair first met on the 1999 coming-of-age comedy Freaks and Geeks, and they went on to film 2008’s Pineapple Express, 2013’s This is the End and 2016’s Sausage Party.
They last worked on 2017’s The Disaster Artist, which saw Franco win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
To support the #MeToo movement, Franco wore a Time’s Up pin to the ceremony in January 2018.
“Anytime any group is treated differently, or given less rights or less equality than any other, it’s everyone’s responsibility to stand up and make change,” Franco said in the press room that night.
Five women then accused him of sexual misconduct.
Of the five women, two were former students of his acting school, Studio 4, and the pupils, Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, sued him.
The lawsuit was settled for $2 million in 2021.
Also that year, Rogen told The London Times, "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. I do not plan to [work with Franco again] right now."
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Where Is James Franco’s Career Now?
James Franco has 11 new projects coming up, including playing Fidel Castro in 'Castro's Daughter.'
Although Spring Breakers star is best known for projects he did with Rogen, the actor, 48, continues to work after going through a dry spell from 2019 to 2024.
He has 11 films coming up, including historical drama Castro’s Daughter, in which he plays the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro; starring roles in action thriller Free Texas, action flick Welcome Home and action-adventure thriller John Rambo; and drama The Long Home with Josh Hartnett and Ashton Kutcher.
Where Is Seth Rogen’s Career Now?
Seth Rogen's 'The Studio' won 13 Emmy Awards in 2025.
Rogen has kept busy with his career.
His Apple TV showbiz drama, The Studio, took home 13 Emmys in 2025. He also stars in two romantic comedies, including Platonic with Rose Byrne, and The Invite with Olivia Wilde.
He also has comedic drama The Wrong Girls with Kristen Stewart and comedic drama Babies with Sharon Stone and Anna Kendrick in the pipeline.
