00:00Seth Rogen and James Franco were once inseparable comedy partners, starring in hits like Pineapple
00:05Express, but their friendship has quietly come to an end.
00:08Let's break down the controversy that ended a 20-year relationship.
00:12In a recent Esquire cover story, Seth Rogen was asked how he felt about Franco's recent
00:16comments on their relationship.
00:18His response was blunt, stating,
00:20Honestly, I absorbed so little media that it really wasn't on my radar.
00:25According to Esquire, Seth was clearly prepared for the question, but just as clearly not
00:29happy about it.
00:31Franco originally addressed their friendship in October 2024, while promoting his new movie,
00:36Hey Joe, at the Rome Film Festival.
00:38Franco told Variety,
00:39I haven't talked to Seth.
00:41I love Seth.
00:42We had 20 great years together, but I guess it's over.
00:45Hey Joe marks Franco's second film since 2019, after reportedly being accused of sexual
00:50inappropriate behavior by five women, a controversy that led to a lawsuit, a settlement, and a
00:56major career setback.
00:59According to NBC News, Franco made an appearance on The Jess Cagle Show and broke his silence
01:04on the sexual misconduct allegations that led to a $2.2 million settlement with former
01:09acting students who accused him of inappropriate behavior at his acting school, Studio 4.
01:15During the podcast, Franco blamed his struggles on addiction to work, success, and sex, admitting
01:20that he used validation from women as a coping mechanism, stating,
01:25The problem with that is, I'm sure you can guess, like any sort of drug or anything,
01:29there's never enough.
01:31The actor described his behavior as addiction that lasted over 20 years and acknowledged
01:35having consensual relationships with students, calling it wrong, and reflecting on the power
01:40dynamics at play.
01:41Noting his attitude around it was, quote,
01:44If this is consensual, I think it's cool.
01:47According to the report, Franco denied allegations that his acting school was a pipeline for
01:52exploitation but admitted that naming a class, Masterclass Sex Scenes, was, quote,
01:57One of the stupidest things I did.
01:59Franco also addressed his fallout with longtime collaborator Seth Rogen, saying their professional
02:04split was painful but understandable, stating,
02:08Seth had to answer for me because I was silent, adding,
02:11It's one of the main reasons I wanted to talk to you today.
02:14I don't want Seth or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.
02:19Rogen was also reporting on actor and younger brother Dave Franco, who has never publicly
02:22commented on the controversy, according to Ladbible.
02:26At the time, Rogen publicly distanced himself, telling Britain's The Sunday Times,
02:30What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never cover or conceal
02:36the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were
02:40around someone like that.
02:42When the reporter asked if his friendship with Franco had been affected, Seth admitted,
02:46I'd say yes.
02:49According to IMDb, Franco is still acting, most recently playing roles in Hey Joe and
02:54The Prince of Money, while Seth has been hard at work on his new Apple TV series, The Studio.
03:00So what do you think about all this?
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