What Happened Between Seth Rogen and James Franco? Why the Longtime Partners Ended Their 25-Year Friendship

Mar. 15, 2025

As two of comedy’s most famous talents,Seth RogenandJames Francohad a long history of riffing off one another and collaborating. However, that all came to an end in 2018.

ThePineapple Expressactorsfirst worked together on the 1999 showFreaks and Geekswhen both were just getting their start in Hollywood. Since then, the two became a dynamic duo starring in hit comedies together from 2007’sKnocked Upto 2017’sThe Disaster Artist.

Actor James Franco visits the SiriusXM Studios on November 27, 2017 in New York City ; Seth Rogen attends the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.Getty

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However, in 2018, five women, four of whom were his acting students,accused Franco of sexually inappropriate behaviorin aLos Angeles Timesarticle. The following year, two of the four former students proceeded tofile a sexual misconduct lawsuitagainst the actor, which hesettled two years later.

The allegations seemed to drive a rift between Franco and his longtime friend, with Rogen tellingThe Sunday Timesin May 2021 that he hadno future plansto work with Franco.

“What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,” Rogen said.

Three years later, Franco admitted toVarietyin October 2024 that hisfriendship with Rogen was never repaired.

“I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” he said.

So what happened between Seth Rogen and James Franco? Here’s everything to know about why their 25-year friendship came to an end.

How did Rogen and Franco’s friendship start?

Seth Rogen and James Franco during Judd Apatow and Dave Eggers Present An Evening of Best Intentions Benefiting 826LA Honoring Seth Rogen at The Vanguard in Hollywood, CA, United States.Getty

Rogen and Franco first met on the set ofFreaks and Geekswhen Rogen was 17 and Franco was 22. The two didn’t work together for some time after that until they reunited for 2008’sPineapple Express, Rogen admitted on CBS’The Early Show.

“We didn’t have a falling out or anything; he just became very successful afterFreaks and Geeks,and I just sat on my couch and researched this movie for two years,” he joked, referring to the film’s story being about two stoners.

Since then, the two have collaborated on 2013’sThis Is the End, 2014’sThe Interview, 2016’sSausage Partyand 2017’sThe Disaster Artist.

“I generally have a movie with a Franco here almost every single year, culminating in this year with two Francos,” Rogen toldSXSWat the festival in 2017 alongside Franco and his brotherDave Franco, who also starred inThe Disaster Artist.

When it came to how far the two would go to commit to their comedy, Franco and Rogen admitted in a Q&A withMoviefonethat they were comfortable enough with each other that they would be open to anything that caused laughs.

“I think the lesson you taught me is that if it’s funny, you can kind of do anything,” Franco said.

What was Franco accused of?

James Franco attends “The Deuce” and “The Legend Of The Demon Cat” premieres during 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 10, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.Getty

The 2018 Golden Globe Awards, where the duo were nominated for their work directing and producingThe Disaster Artist, marked the last time Franco and Rogen were photographed together publicly.

“I got it in my head pretty quickly that, OK, you don’t say ‘no’ to this guy,” one of the women, Sarah Tither-Kaplan, said. “I feel there was an abuse of power, and there was a culture of exploiting non-celebrity women, and a culture of women being replaceable."

Franco’s attorney denied each of the allegations at the time, also citing Franco’s appearance onThe Late Show With Stephen Colbertearlier that week in which he addressed the accusations as a formal denial.

However, over a year later, in October 2019, Tither-Kaplan and another one of the women, Toni Gaal, filed a lawsuit against Franco alleging that he “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students,” per the suit.

Franco once again denied the allegations, and in February 2021, he reached a settlement with the women in which heagreed to pay $2,235,000.

Why did Rogen say he would never work with Franco again?

James Franco and Seth Rogen celebrate The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards with Moet & Chandon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California.Getty

When Franco was first accused, Rogen said hewould continue working with the actorin an April 2018 interview withVulture.

“The truth is that my perspective on this is the least relevant perspective,” he said. “I’m friends with these people and I’m a dude. All that combined makes me the last person who should be talking about this.”

“I do look back at a joke I made onSaturday Night Livein 2014 and I very much regret making that joke,” Rogen toldThe Sunday Times. “It was a terrible joke, honestly. And I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I commentthat I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now. "

He added that it was “not a coincidence” that his professional relationship with Franco came to an end, and added that the situation affected his personal relationship as well.

“I don’t know if I can define that right now during this interview,” he said of their friendship. “I can say it, um, you know, it has changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic.”

How did Franco respond to the end of their friendship?

Later that year, Franco appeared onSiriusXMradio where he admitted that he still “loves” Rogen and that the two did not have a single fight in the 20 years they worked together.

“He was my absolute closest work friend, collaborator, we just gelled,” Franco said. “What he said is true — we aren’t working together and we don’t have any plans to work together.”

The actor said that while it was “hurtful” to hear Rogen say their professional relationship was over, he understood because “he had to answer for me because I was silent.”

In an October 2024 interview withVariety, Franco shared an update that the status of his friendship with Rogen hadn’t changed, and the pair’s relationship seemed irreparable.

“And not for lack of trying,” he said. “I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”

“Honestly, I absorb so little media thatit really wasn’t on my radar,” he said.

source: people.com