James Franco Biography

James Franco was nominated for an Oscar as best actor for his role as an ill-fated climber in the 2010 movie 127 Hours.

But he may still be best known for his earliest roles, including Freaks and Geeks and the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies (2002-07).

James Franco grew up in California and, after one year of college, began his acting career with small roles in TV productions in 1997.

Franco was one star of the short-lived but critically acclaimed Judd Apatow series Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000, starring Linda Cardellini), but his career breakthrough came with his Emmy-nominated portrayal of James Dean in the 2001 TV movie James Dean.

Although he then lost the role of Spider-man to Tobey Maguire, he landed the role of Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Goblin (played by Willem Dafoe).

In addition to that movie’s sequels, James Franco appeared in a number of dramas and comedies, including City by the Sea (2002, starring Robert DeNiro), In the Valley of Elah (2007, starring Tommy Lee Jones), Pineapple Express (2008, starring Seth Rogen) and Milk (2008, starring Sean Penn).

In 127 Hours he played real-life outdoorsman Aron Ralston, who was forced to cut off his own arm to escape after being trapped by an 800-pound boulder during a solo climbing expedition.

After his Oscar nomination, Franco became famously busy, taking classes, teaching classes, and producing and acting in movie after movie, few of which rose to see acclaim.

In 2017 he was accused of sexual misconduct by former students of his acting classes; the case was settled in early 2012.

Franco’s other film credits includ Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Spring Breakers (2012) and The Disaster Artist (2017, he also directed). On television, he’s been in the series 11.22.63 and Angie Tribeca (both 2016).