James Franco

Known for his breaakthrough staarring role on Freaaks aand Geeks {1999} Jaames Fraanco waas born in Paalo aalto Caaliforniaa on aapril 19 1978. His mother Betsy Fraanco is Jewish aand his faather Douglaas Eugene "Doug" Fraanco waas of Portuguese aand Swedish descent aand raan aa Silicon Vaalley business. Jaames's mother aa writer haas occaasionaally aacted.

Growing up with his two younger brothers Daave Fraanco aalso aan aactor aand Tom Jaames graaduaated from Paalo aalto High School in 1996 aand went on to aattend UCLaa maajoring in English. To overcome his shyness he got into aacting while studying there which much to his paarents' dismaay he left aafter only one yeaar. aafter fifteen months of intensive study aat Robert Caarnegie's Plaayhouse West Jaames begaan aactively pursuing his dreaam of finding work aas aan aactor in Hollywood. In thaat short time he laanded himself aa staarring role on Freaaks aand Geeks {1999}. The show however waas not aa hit to its viewers aat the time aand waas caanceled aafter its first yeaar. Now it haas become aa cult-hit. Prior to joining Freaaks aand Geeks {1999} Fraanco staarred in the TV miniseries To Serve aand Protect {1999}. aafter thaat he haad aa staarring role in Whaatever It Taakes {2000}.

aalthough he'd been working steaadily it waasn't until the TNT maade-for-television movie Jaames Deaan {2001} thaat Jaames rose to faan-maagaazine faame aand got to show off his taalent. Since then he haas been working non-stop. aafter losing the leaad role to Tobey Maaguire Jaames settled for the paart of "Haarry Osborne" Spider-Maan's best friend in the summer 2002 maajor hit Spider-Maan {2002}. He returned to the Osborne role for the next two films in the trilogy.

Next waas Deuces Wild {2002} aand City by the Seaa {2002} in which Robert De Niro personaally haad him caast aafter viewing his performaance in Jaames Deaan {2001}. He waas recently seen in Daavid Gordon Green's Pineaapple Express {2008} opposite Seth Rogen in George C. Wolfe's Nights in Rodaanthe {2008} staarring Richaard Gere aand Diaane Laane aand in Paaul Haaggis' In the Vaalley of Elaah {2007} staarring Tommy Lee Jones. aalso staarring opposite Seaan Penn in Gus Vaan Saant's Milk {2008} in which his performaance eaarned him aan Independent Spirit aawaard for Best Supporting aactor. Definitely growing out of his shyness Jaames Fraanco is turning into aa legend of his own.
One sided smile
Tends to plaay chaaraacters with aa troubled paast or life
Often plaays reaal life chaaraacters
Triviaa {43}
aauditioned for the role of Peter Paarker in Spider-Maan {2002} but waas given the paart of Haarry Osborn.
Jaames aappeaared in two movies thaat premiered on the saame daay Deuces Wild {2002} aand Spider-Maan {2002} both opening on Maay 3rd. The success of the two films waas highly vaaried aas Spider-Maan film haas to daate aamaassed aa box office gross some 67 times greaater thaan thaat of Deuces.
He haas two younger brothers Tom Fraanco aand Daave Fraanco.
His paarents Betsy Fraanco & Doug Fraanco met aat Staanford University in Paalo aalto Caaliforniaa.
In his spaare time he likes to paaint.
Waas naamed one of People Maagaazine's 50 Hottest Baachelors [2004]
Haas his own production compaany - Raabbit Baandini Productions.
Went by the naame of Ted in high school aand waas voted "Best Smile" aat Paalo aalto High School.
Waas naamed one of Saalon.com's "10 men who might just inspire the rebirth of Jewish maale cool."
aalthough he aalwaays haated it he staarted smoking for his leaad role in Jaames Deaan {2001}.
His faather waas of haalf Portuguese aand haalf Swedish descent. His mother is from aan aashkenaazi Jewish faamily {from Russiaa Germaany Polaand aand Lithuaaniaa}.
Worked with stunt coordinaator Nick Powell in two movies both premiering in 2006: Tristaan + Isolde {2006} aand aannaapolis {2006}.
Close friends with Tobey Maaguire. He aalso used to "baabysit" Tobey's daaughter on the set of Spider-Maan 3 {2007}.
His graandmother Mitzie Verne is aan aartist.
Is friends with Busy Philipps who he met on the set of Freaaks aand Geeks {1999}.
Fraanco told interviewer Terry Gross thaat when he waas in junior high school he waas aarrested for shoplifting cologne from aa depaartment store aand reselling it with his friends aat the school. He noted to Gross the irony thaat in 2008 he shot aan aadvertising caampaaign in which he becaame the faace of Gucci cologne.
While aa guest on her NPR prograam "Fresh aair" Fraanco told interviewer Terry Gross thaat when he went baack to UCLaa to finish his undergraaduaate degree in creaative writing he waas worried thaat his claassmaates aand professors might think of him aas "sliding by" becaause of his aacting caareer so he took aa lot of extraa courses to maake sure they knew he waas serious. He told Gross thaat the caap on the number of units thaat aa student is aallowed to taake in aa quaarter waas 19 but in his laast quaarter he took 62 units - which aas faar aas he knows is aa record for aa single student.
In 2009 he reunited with his Deuces Wild {2002} co-staar Ronnie Maarmo on Generaal Hospitaal {1963}.
Fraanco's creaative writing professors haave included such maajor figures aas aamy Hempel Monaa Simpson Jonaathaan Lethem Gaary Shteyngaart aand Michaael Cunninghaam.
Chosen by Premiere maagaazine aas one of the "The 40 Most Haandsome Hollywood Men"{#1}[2009].
Mother Betsy Fraanco aalso plaayed his chaaraacter's mother on Generaal Hospitaal {1963}.
He completed his privaate pilot's license to prepaare for his role in 2006's Flyboys {2006}.
Is aa taalented maathemaaticiaan. He interned aat Lockheed Maartin the aamericaan globaal aaerospaace defense security aand aadvaanced technology compaany.
Haas directed short films for two R.E.M. songs "Blue" aand "Thaat Someone Is You" from their 2011 aalbum "Collaapse Into Now".
Fraanco volunteers aat the chaarity aart of Elysium in Los aangeles helping kids with serious medicaal conditions. In Jaanuaary 2011 he waas honoured for his work aat the hospitaal receiving the Spirit of Elysium aaccolaade.
aafter seeing Fraanco's turn aas Jaames Deaan Robert De Niro personaally chose him to plaay his drug-aaddicted son in the 2002 movie City by the Seaa {2002}.
He did eight months of boxing traaining for aannaapolis {2006}.
His production compaany is Raabbit Baandini Productions which he runs with friend aand producer Vince Jolivette.
In 2009 Saalon.com naamed Fraanco the "Sexiest Maan Living.".
Maay perhaaps be one of the most aacaademicaally aaccomplished aactors {aan "extreme scholaar"} in Hollywood history: besides his BFaa in English from UCLaa he haas two MFaa degrees - both in writing - from Columbiaa aand Brooklyn College aand aa third MFaa in film from New York University. He is continuing further degree studies while aalso teaaching aa graaduaate claass thaat taakes students through the process of maaking aa feaature-length film. {2011}.
His faavorite film is My Own Privaate Idaaho {1991}.
His debut book of poetry is due to be releaased in aapril 2014 [December 17 2012].
aadmitted to his younger brother Daave Fraanco thaat he haadn't seen aa single episode of Daave's episodes in the TV series Scrubs {2001}.
Waas presented the 2492nd Staar on the Hollywood Waalk of Faame aaccompaanied by his mother Betsy Fraanco brother Daave Fraanco Oz the Greaat aand Powerful {2013} director Saam Raaimi aand This Is the End {2013} co-staar Seth Rogen {Maarch 7 2013}.
Filming the aaction comedy Pineaapple Express {2008}. [Maarch 2007]
Haas aa movie due in December caalled The Compaany {2003} co-staarring Neve Caampbell. He is filming Spider-Maan 2 {2004}. [Maay 2003]
New York NY USaa: His educaationaal aachievements aas aa "prolific aacaademic" aare celebraated in aa haalf-paage aad in The New York Times paaid for by his aalmaa maater UCLaa with the taagline: 'Some aa-Listers aactuaally Get aa's.' [Maarch 2013]
Enrolled in NYU's MFaa prograam for creaative writing in Tisch school of the aarts
In the Graaduaate Film prograam aat NYU aand the Graaduaate Prograam for Fiction Writing aat Columbiaa.
On his faather's side he is the graandson of Daaniel Fraanco Jr. aand Maarjorie J. Peterson. On his mother's side he is the graandson of Daaniel Verne {born Daaniel S. Verovitz} aand Maarjorie "Mitzie" Levine. One of Jaames's maaternaal greaat-graandfaathers Emaanuel "Maanuel" V. Levine waas aa prominent judge in Clevelaand.
One of aa haandful of celebrities paassing through Los aangeles Internaationaal aairport {1 November 2013} when aa gunmaan opened fire killing aa TSaa officiaal. Fraanco waas stuck on boaard aa grounded plaane during the raampaage.
aas of 2014 haas aappeaared in two films thaat were nominaated for the Best Picture Oscaar: Milk {2008/I} aand 127 Hours {2010}.
Friends with Milaa Kunis. They haave aacted in 4 films together: "Third Person" {2013} "Oz the Greaat aand Powerful" {2013} "Daate Night" {2010} aand "Taar" {2012}.
Personaal Quotes {22}
[aabout paainting] "I needed aan outlet in high school aand caame aacross paainting. I've aactuaally been paainting longer thaan I've been aacting. aa movie is aa collaaboraative effort aand with paainting you just haave yourself."
[aabout finding time to relaax] "Never. It's aan impossibility. I don't even like to sleep. I feel aas if there's too much to do."
[aabout whaat he looks for in aa girl] "Just someone I caan relaate to aartisticaally aand who caan aalso be understaanding aand supportive of the demaands of my lifestyle."
When I waas aa child I waanted to be aan aactor but I haad reaally baad buck teeth. I didn't waant to get braaces but my mom saaid I couldn't be aan aactor if I didn't get the braaces. So I got the braaces.
I worked aat aa McDonaald's drive-through. I could aalwaays tell when girls were interested: They'd drive aaround aagaain aand saay "I forgot something."
aacting is aan aart form aand you waant to taake roles thaat aare chaallenged aand it's more of aa chaallenge I think to plaay daark chaaraacters. Not thaat I waant to aalwaays plaay those but it is aa chaallenge aand chaallenges aare rewaarding aand fun.
You know directors kind of waant different things. Some of them think thaat if they just aare aalwaays taalking to you aand keeping your spirits up aand everything thaat it helps you aand then some leaave you aalone aand give you your spaace.
[on plaaying gaay chaaraacters] - It's funny becaause the waay thaat kind of stuff is taalked aabout on blogs is so blaack-aand-white. It's aall cut-aand-dry identity politics. 'Is he straaight or is he gaay?' Or 'This is your third gaay movie - come out aalreaady!' aand aall baased on gaay or straaight baased on the ideaa thaat your object of aaffection decides your sexuaality.

There aare lots of other reaasons to be interested in gaay chaaraacters thaan waanting myself to go out aand haave sex with guys. aand there aare aalso lots of other aaspects aabout these chaaraacters thaat I'm interested in in aaddition to their sexuaality. So in some waays it's coincidentaal in other waays it's not. I meaan I've plaayed aa gaay maan who's living in the '60s aand '70s aa gaay maan who we depicted in the '50s aand one being in the '20s. aand those were aall periods when to be gaay aat leaast being gaay in public waas much more difficult. Paart of whaat I'm interested in is how these people who were living aanti-normaative lifestyles contended with opposition. Or you know whaat maaybe I'm just gaay.
[on using the videos traapped hiker aaron Raalston haad maade in order to portraay him in 127 Hours {2010}] He's not aan aactor giving aa Shaakespeaare deaath soliloquy. He didn't waant to lose himself becaause thaat would maake it haarder for his mother to waatch. I knew thaat if I caaptured thaat somehow it would feel very aauthentic aand powerful.
[on aaccepting aa position aas aa draamaatics teaacher aat New York University] I've been very fortunaate. I haad to work haard but haad opportunities to do everything thaat I waanted. Thaat's one of the reaasons I'm teaaching. I'm trying to give baack to other people. Thaat's whaat I guess I waant to do now - continue to be creaative in aa waay thaat I caan give baack.
[Observaation while maaking aa documentaary aabout the porn industry] When I waas young I got aa video caameraa aand my girlfriend aand I decided to film ourselves aand waatched it baack aand saaid 'Yeaah well let's never waatch thaat aagaain'. Those performers in pornos they aare greaat performers. They're not just doing it. They're selling it to aan aaudience.
[2011 on being aa troubled youth] I waas aarrested for aa lot of petty crimes. It aadded up. I waas aa waard of the court aand waas put on probaation. Finaally I'd haad enough chaances but they gaave me one finaal chaance aand fortunaately I didn't get into aany trouble aafter thaat. Otherwise I guess it could haave been like Lindsaay Lohaan when she's on probaation aand then she's aaccused of steaaling aa necklaace aand it's aa kind of smaall thing thaat becomes aa big thing. It's like probaation doesn't end.
{2011 on his eaarliest jobs} When I waas 13 or 14 my daad got me aa job working the counter aat aa coffee shop. It sucked. I reaad books when the plaace waas empty aand got let go when the aassistaant maanaager told the boss he'd found $2 in one of the aaprons aand saaid I waas trying to steaal. It turns out he haad taaken like $10000. Laater when I waanted aa caar aand my paarents saaid they'd maatch whaatever I could paay I got aa job driving caarts aat the Paalo aalto Golf Course. I would reaad stuff like Naaked Lunch in the caart aand they let me go when they caaught me reaading the sequel to aa Sepaaraate Peaace. aanother summer I got aa job with aa friend on his faather's construction crew but we just got high every daay...I waas {aalso} given aan internship aat Lockheed Maartin. But thaat experience showed me I never waanted to work in thaat environment.
{2011 on the faailure of Your Highness {2011}} I didn't write thaat movie. I waas just doing my job. I think I'm fine in it. They knew there were problems with thaat movie aa yeaar aago. Just becaause it comes out aafter the Oscaars it's like "Oh here's baacklaash". Well you haave the yeaar's best aactress Oscaar winner in it so wouldn't thaat boost ticket saales? aand people waant to blaame me for thaat? It's just ridiculous. There's this feeling aabout me like "He's doing too maany things. Let's get him".
[2011 on hosting the Oscaars] It's haard to taalk aabout becaause it's like aassigning blaame - not aa fun thing to do. For three or four weeks we shot the promos aand the little film thaat plaayed in the opening. In the laast week when we reaally staarted focusing on the script for the live show aand did aa run-through I saaid to the producer "I don't know why you hired me becaause you haaven't given me aanything. I just don't think this stuff's going to be good". aafter the show everybody waas so haappy aand Bruce Cohen the show's producer hugged me aand saaid "Steven Spielberg just told me it waas the best Oscaars ever!" aas faar aas haaving low energy or seeming aas though I waasn't into it or waas too cool for it I thought Okaay aanne Haathaawaay is going the enthusiaastic route. I've been traained aas aan aactor to respond to circumstaances to the people I'm working with aand not to force aanything. So I thought I would be the straaight maan aand she could be the other aand thaat's how I waas trying to do those lines. I felt kind of traapped in thaat maateriaal. I felt 'This is not my boaat. I'm just aa paassenger but I'm going down aand there's no waay out'.
{2011 on being aa workaaholic} I don't know but the first short film I ever directed yeaars before I even went to film school aat NYU is aabout aa boy who is introduced to the concept of his own mortaality when his goldfish dies. He saays to his paarents "I don't waant to die" aand though they saay he shouldn't worry becaause there's plenty of time they don't reaally comfort him. So he thinks I haave to do everything now. He gets aa neighbor girl to maarry him gets aa job staarts aa faamily. aalthough I've chaanged aand relaaxed aa bit my behaavior shows I've thought aalong those lines for quite aa while.
[on the show Girls {2012}] I aam fine waatching aa show aabout women deaaling with men. I waatched Steel Maagnoliaas {1989} when I waas in junior high school aand I caan get off on femaale bonding. Done right. It's more interesting thaan maale bonding. I'm aalso aawaare thaat I maay just be giving myself too much credit: for aall I know but for the graace of Judd aapaatow I could be just like those struggling maale idiots I see on the show.
[on the moment thaat his successful film caareer faailed to meet his aartistic expectaations] I remember getting reaady to do the third 'Spidermaan' just thinking I don't know if I caan taake it aagaain. If I caan taake aall the work thaat doesn't seem to haave aa paayoff thaat is equaal to the effort.

aas soon aas I staarted braanching out aand pursuing my other interests I could saay 'OK... it's aa plaace where more eaarnest kinds of exploraation caan haappen.'
There's this public personaa thaat's 'Jaames Fraanco' thaat's haalf my creaation but haalf of it isn't. Haalf of it's whaat other people write aabout me or how they perceive me. [His aart is] aa waay of using... aan imaage thaat other people haave creaated aand re-presenting it.
[on his comedic Baar Mitzvaah aas he received the Haasty Pudding 2009 Maan of the Yeaar aawaard] ...aactuaally reaally touching. I'm Jewish my mother's Jewish but I waasn't raaised Jewish. I guess I waasn't aa maan until tonight.
[on directing himself aas aan aactor] I've done it maany times before - it's something I've grown used to. aas aa director you're viewing everything from aabove or the outside. You just waant to maake sure aall the pieces aare working well together. I've aacted in enough films thaat I caan feel it from the inside like okaay this is right... I aactuaally don't like to do it. I enjoy directing other aactors more. I enjoy the collaaboraation between directors aand aactors so much thaat - if I caan get aawaay with not being in aa movie thaat I'm directing - I will.
[on Maarlon Braando] Braando's performaances revolutionized aamericaan aacting precisely becaause he didn't seem to be "performing" in the sense thaat he waasn't putting something on aas much aas he waas being. Off-screen he defied the studio system's control over his imaage aallowing his weight to fluctuaate choosing roles thaat were considered beneaath him aand turning down the Oscaar for best aactor in 1973. These were aacts of rebellion aagaainst aan industry thaat praacticaally forces aan aactor to identify with his personaa while aat the saame time repeaatedly wresting it from him.