Seth Rogen has said he has no plans to work with James Franco again and has not spoken to him in some time, marking a long-distance end to one of Hollywood’s most familiar creative partnerships. In a June 13 interview with The New York Times, Rogen declined to discuss the breakdown of the friendship in detail, calling it “too personal,” but said his position has remained the same. He noted that he and Franco have not collaborated in years, with their last on-screen project being 2019’s Zeroville, which Franco directed and starred in, and Rogen appeared in as Viking Man.
Rogen and Franco first met while starring in the 1999 NBC series Freaks and Geeks, a short-lived show that later became a cult favorite. Their collaboration expanded over the next two decades with films such as Pineapple Express, This Is the End, The Interview, The Disaster Artist, and Sausage Party. For years, the two were widely viewed as close friends and frequent creative partners, often speaking publicly about their bond and describing each other as brothers.
The relationship shifted after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against Franco. In 2014, Franco apologized after leaked screenshots showed messages sent to an underage fan. In 2018, a Los Angeles Times report cited accusations from five women, including acting students, who described sexually exploitative behavior. Franco later admitted to sexual relationships with some of his students and said he had struggled with sex addiction. In 2021, he reached a $2.2 million settlement in a class-action case tied to those claims.
Rogen previously acknowledged that the controversy changed how he viewed the partnership. In a 2021 interview, he said he regretted earlier comments suggesting he would continue working with Franco and made clear that he had not collaborated with him since. He added that he despises abuse and harassment and would not knowingly place others in harmful situations. Rogen also said the situation affected “many things” in both their personal and professional lives.
Franco has also spoken about the apparent end of the friendship. In a 2024 interview, he said he had told Rogen how much their relationship meant to him, but that the two had not been in contact for a while. “I love Seth,” Franco said, reflecting on what he described as 20 years of collaboration. The comments from both actors indicate that, after years of working closely together, their relationship has largely remained in the past.
