James Franco’s post Golden Globes win press tour has been marred by claims of sexual misconduct leveled against him. The actor and director denied the recent allegations during his appearance on the ‘Late Show’ Tuesday.
The interview was shot just hours before his TimesTalk event, scheduled for Wednesday, was cancelled.
Franco, who won a Globe for his performance in ‘The Disaster Artist,’ was asked by Stephen Colbert about the several complaints lodged against him on Twitter by women he has worked with during Sunday night’s award show.
‘The things I heard are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out because they didn’t have a voice for so long. I don’t want to shut them down in anyway. I think its a good thing and I support it,’ Franco told the host, while admitting he had not read the tweets himself.
‘There were some things on Twitter, I haven’t read them. I’ve heard about them.’ One actress, Violet Paley, accused him of forcing her to give him oral sex, while another called naked scenes in his indie projects ‘exploitative.’ He did not address those tweets specifically, however.
Although he did speak out about tweets by ‘Breakfast Club’ star Ally Sheedy, who Franco directed in a Broadway play in 2014.
‘I have no idea what I did to Ally Sheedy,’ said Franco. ‘I have total respect for her. She took the tweet down, I can’t speak for her.’
‘The others, in my life I pride myself on taking responsibility for what I’ve done,’ Franco continued.
‘I can’t live if there’s restitution to be made,’ he said. ‘ If I’ve done something wrong, I will fix it. I have to. I don’t know what else to do. As far as the bigger issue of how we do it, I really don’t have the answers. I think the point of this whole thing is that we listen. I’m here to listen and learn and change my perspective where it’s off. I’m completely willing and want to.’
The under-fire actor also commented on the experience of being at the Globes this year, which focused largely on the issue of sexual assault and support for victims.
‘Look, I was so excited to win but being in that room that night was incredible. It was powerful. I support change,’ Franco said.
Franco was scheduled to do a TimesTalk for ‘The Disaster Artist,’ but the New York Times pulled the plug on the event in light of ‘recent allegations’ against the actor.
The TimesTalk, which is conversation moderated by a New York Times reporter and publicly attended, was supposed to showcase the Globes winner as well as his brother Dave in their familial collaboration on the film.
James Franco along with brother Dave Franco, were supposed to hold a TimesTalk Wednesday- the event was cancelled as the New York Times cited ‘recent allegations’ against James (both pictured Tuesday at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala in New York)
‘The event was intended to be a discussion of the making of the film, The Disaster Artist. Given the controversy surrounding recent allegations, we’re no longer comfortable proceeding in that vein,’ a Times representative said Tuesday in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Actress Sarah Tither-Kaplan was among those who publicly denounced Franco’s behavior, with the actress going after Franco for his alleged mistreatment of actresses on his sets.
‘Hey James Franco, nice #timesup pin at the #GoldenGlobes, remember a few weeks ago when you told me the full nudity you had me do in two of your movies for $100/day wasn’t exploitative because I signed a contract to do it? Times up on that!’ wrote Tither-Kaplan.
The actress and comedian has been appearing in short films with Franco for over three years after enrolling at Studio 4, the actor’s comedy and improv school.
Grin and bear it: The actor, 39, was all smiles while making his way into the airport on Monday after he picked up the Best Actor Golden Globe for his work in The Disaster Artist
Allegation: Sarah Tither-Kaplan claimed that she was forced to do ‘exploitative’ scenes with ‘full nudity’ in two of Franco’s films while being paid just $100 (tweets above)
Studio 4, which had outposts in New York and Los Angeles, closed its doors back in October without warning or explanation.
Also speaking out against Franco was Violet Paley, who tweeted: ‘Cute #TIMESUP pin James Franco. Remember the time you pushed my head down in a car towards your exposed penis & that other time you told my friend to come to your hotel when she was 17? After you had already been caught doing that to a different 17 year old?’
Paley, an actress, writer and director living in Los Angeles, later clarified her tweet by writing: ‘Just to be clear I wasn’t 17, I was an adult.’
The age of consent in both New York and California is 17.
Spot the fully clothed man: The film Tither-Kaplan seems to be referencing in these tweets is The Long Home (cast photo above), which is directed by Franco
Allegation: ‘Remember the time you pushed my head down in a car towards your exposed penis,’ wrote actress Violet Paley (above)
Accusation: Paley said: ‘& that other time you told my friend to come to your hotel when she was 17? After you had already been caught doing that to a different 17 year old?’
Tither-Kaplan’s expounded on her tweet about exploitative nudity by writing: ‘Hey James Franco, now that you have a Golden Globe why don’t you give speaking roles that don’t require nudity in your upcoming films to the dozens of women who have done full nudity + sex scenes in your indie films and art projects?’
The film Tither-Kaplan seems to be referencing in these tweets is The Long Home, which is directed by Franco and stars an eclectic cast of actors including Ashton Kutcher, Courtney Love, Robin Lord Taylor, Annaleigh Tipton, Josh Hutcherson and Oscar-winner Timothy Hutton.
Talent: Tither-Kaplan (left) has been appearing in short films with Franco for over three years after enrolling at Studio 4, the actor’s comedy and improv school
No more: Studio 4, which had outposts in New York and Los Angeles, closed its doors back in October without warning and with no explanation for the sudden decision
Actress Ally Sheedy was the most notable name to call out Franco on Sunday, doing so in a series of tweets throughout the show.
‘Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much. Nite love ya,’ wrote Sheedy at the start of the telecast.
Winner: Allegations against Franco gained notice in the wake of his Golden Globe win (above)
‘Ok wait. Bye. Christian Slater and James Franco at a table on @goldenglobes #MeToo,’ said Sheedy an hour into the program.
And in her final tweet, posted right after Franco’s victory in the Best Actor category, she said: ‘James Franco just won. Please never ever ask me why I left the film/tv business.’
Sheedy later deleted the tweets, but soon after she posted a number of women began to speak out against the actor for his admission back in 2014 that he pursued a relationship with a 17-year-old student.
That incident has in no way tarnished Franco’s reputation however, with the actor likely to pick up his second Oscar when this year’s honorees are announced later this month.
‘It’s … rich of James Franco to be wearing a Time’s Up pin,’ tweeted writer Doree Shafrir.
‘Still remember that time James Franco grossly tried to pick up a teenager off Instagram. #TimesUp’ wrote Samantha Grasso.
‘Remember when James Franco tried to solicit a teenager on Instagram? But he was still honored at the Globes. LOL. But yes, Time Is Up, y’all,’ read a tweet from the account #blackwomandirectors.
And writer and comedian Miel Bredouw asked: ‘When is the time up on James Franco.’
Boy’s club: Franco hosted a dinner for the other male actors nominated in the film categories at Sunday night’s Golden Globes earlier in the week (l to r: Armie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet, Michael Stuhlberg, Richard Jenkins, Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman, Gary Oldman, Ansel Elgort, James Franco, Daniel Kaluuya and Sam Rockwell)
Strong tweets: ‘Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much. Nite love ya,’ wrote Sheedy, 55, at the start of the telecast (Sheedy’s three tweets above)
Don’t forget: Sheedy shot to fame in the 80s as a member of the Brat Pack, earning her spot in the infamous eight-actor clique following her roles in The Breakfast Club (above) and St Elmo’s Fire
The incident these tweets apparently reference happened back in 2014 when the actor began corresponding with a Scottish teenager.
Lucy Clode, who was 17 at the time, had gone to see Franco on Broadway in Of Mice and Men, and posted a photo to Instagram of herself and the actor taken while he signed autographs that night.
Franco then reached out to Lucy and, after learning she was just 17, began to exchange a number of suggestive messages before asking her what hotel she was staying at in the city.
‘Your single? What’s the hotel? Should I rent a room?’ wrote Franco to the teenager in one rapid-fire exchange.
When she then responded by saying she did not think he was the real James Franco, the actor took a photo of himself waving and sent it to the young tourist.
He then wrote: ‘It’s me. Yes or no? Tomorrow or Thursday?’
Franco’s persistence was later revealed when Clode posted the exchange on her account, forcing the actor to address his pursuit of the teen.
Disaster: Ally Sheedy went after James Franco on Twitter following his Best Actor win at the Golden Globes on Sunday (pair above in 2014 at the opening night party for The Long Shrift)
He addressed the controversy during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Michael.
‘It’s the way that people meet each other today, but what I’ve learned- I guess because I’m new to it- is you don’t know who’s on the other end,’ said Franco.
‘You get a feel for them, you don’t know who you’re talking to.’
He then added: ‘I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson.’
Franco did not at any point mention the fact that Clode was just 17 and a tourist.