James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor, filmmaker, teacher and author. For his role in 127 Hours, Franco received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Franco has been published several times in magazines and through his own books and is currently teaching college courses at UCLA, USC and CAL ARTS and acting classes at STUDIO 4.
James Franco was born in Palo Alto, California. His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a writer and actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene “Doug” Franco (d. 2011), ran a Silicon Valley business. The two met as students at Stanford University. James Franco’s father was of Portuguese (Madeiran) and Swedish descent. Franco’s mother is Jewish, a descendant of immigrants from Russia.
Although the idea of becoming a marine zoologist interested him, James Franco had always secretly wanted to become an actor but feared rejection. He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as an English major, but dropped out after his freshman year against his parents’ wishes to pursue a career as an actor, since he would have had to wait two years to audition for their acting program. James Franco instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West. Around this time, Franco took up a late-night job at McDonald’s to support himself since his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian until working there.
Franco made his Broadway debut in the revival of the American classic OF MICE & MEN to rave reviews. He was nominated for a Drama League Distinguished Performance Award for his performance, as was the play for the Outstanding Revival Award. The play was also shot for a theatrical release worldwide. He also directed the off-Broadway play THE LONG SHRIFT.
Aside from his acting accomplishments, Franco has also established himself as a producer and director on several films. He produced and starred in Carter’s MALADIES as well as the film AS I LAY DYING, based on the classic novel by William Faulkner, which he also directed. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival before its theatrical release. He also produced and starred in the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s CHILD OF GOD, which he also co-wrote. The film premiered at both the Venice and the Toronto International Film Festivals before being released.
2018 Blood Heist 2018 Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad 2017 Blood on Wheels 2017 The Long Home 2017 Blood Theatre 2017 Kill the Czar 2017 The Institute 2017 The Vault 2017 Why Him? 2017 Actors Anonymous 2017 Black Dog, Red Dog 2017 The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards 2017 The Masterpiece 2017 Zeroville 2017 Future World 2017 Killing Animals 2017 Mississippi Requiem 2017 The Mad Whale 2016 In Dubious Battle 2016 Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? 2016 King Cobra 2016 The Fixer 2016 Sausage Party 2016 Goat 2016 The Labyrinth 2015 Richard Peter Johnson 2015 The Night Before 2015 Memoria 2015 The Little Prince 2015 True Deception 2015 Wild Horses 2015 A Walk in Winter 2015 Every Thing Will Be Fine 2015 Queen of the Desert 2015 I Am Michael 2015 Yosemite 2015 True Story 2015 Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha 2014 I Think You’re Totally Wrong: A Quarrel 2014 The Interview 2014 Grow a Guy 2014 National Theater Live: Of Mice and Men 2014 The Sound and the Fury 2014 Good People 2014 Obituaries 2014 Veronica Mars 2013 Home Front 2013 Third Person 2013 Child of God 2013 As I Lay Dying 2013 Palo Alto 2013 This Is the End 2013 Homefront 2013 Black Dog, Red Dog 2013 Child of God 2013 Oz the Great and Powerful 2013 Lovelace 2013 Interior. Leather Bar. 2012 Tar 2012 The Letter 2012 Spring Breakers 2012 The Iceman 2012 About Cherry 2012 Maladies 2011 Sal 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes 2011 The Broken Tower 2011 Your Highness 2011 The Green Hornet (uncredited) 2011 Rebel (short) 2010 127 Hours 2010 Eat Pray Love 2010 Masculinity & Me (short) 2010 William Vincent 2010 Date Night 2010 Howl 2008 Milk 2008 Nights in Rodanthe (uncredited) 2008 Pineapple Express 2008 Camille 2007 In the Valley of Elah 2007 Good Time Max 2007 Spider-Man 3 2007 Knocked Up (uncredited) 2007 Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee 2007 Interview (voice) 2007 An American Crime 2006 The Dead Girl 2006 Grasshopper (short) 2006 Flyboys 2006 The Wicker Man 2006 Annapolis 2006 Tristan + Isolde 2005 The Great Raid 2005 The Ape 2005 Fool’s Gold 2004 Spider-Man 2 2003 The Company 2002 City by the Sea 2002 Sonny 2002 Blind Spot 2002 Mother Ghost 2002 You Always Stalk the Ones You Love 2002 The Car Kid (short) 2002 Deuces Wild 2002 Spider-Man 2001 James Dean 2001 Mean People Suck 2001 Some Body (uncredited) 2000 At Any Cost (TV movie) 2000 Whatever It Takes 2000 If Tomorrow Comes 1999 Never Been Kissed (as James Edward Franco) 1998 1973 (TV movie)