Rise to Success: Career Highlights of James Franco
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how James Franco made an impact.
James Franco is an American actor and filmmaker known for his diverse roles in both mainstream and independent cinema. He gained prominence in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and has starred in films like Milk, Eat Pray Love, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. A frequent collaborator with Seth Rogen, he has appeared in comedies such as Pineapple Express, This Is the End, and The Interview. Franco received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe for his performance in The Disaster Artist, and an Academy Award nomination for 127 Hours, solidifying his status as a versatile and accomplished performer.
1999: First Break in Freaks and Geeks
In 1999, James Franco got his first break after being cast in a leading role on the NBC television series Freaks and Geeks.
2000: Role in Whatever It Takes
In 2000, James Franco played Chris, a popular jock, in Whatever It Takes, a modern-day remake of the play Cyrano de Bergerac.
2000: Freaks and Geeks Concludes
In 2000, the TV show Freaks and Geeks, in which James Franco starred, concluded its run after being canceled due to low viewership, though it later became a cult hit.
2001: Portrayal of James Dean
In 2001, James Franco portrayed the title character in the television biographical film James Dean, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and received nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.
2001: James Dean TV Movie
In 2001, James Franco starred as James Dean in a TV biographical film, winning a Golden Globe and receiving Emmy and SAG nominations for his performance.
2002: Role in Spider-Man
In 2002, James Franco gained worldwide fame for his role as Harry Osborn in the superhero film Spider-Man, a critical and commercial success.
2002: Starring in Sonny and City by the Sea
In 2002, James Franco starred in Sonny, directed by Nicolas Cage, and City by the Sea, playing diverse roles including a homeless drug addict.
2003: Co-starring in The Company
In 2003, James Franco co-starred with Neve Campbell in Robert Altman's ballet movie The Company.
2004: Reprising Role in Spider-Man 2
In 2004, James Franco reprised his role in Spider-Man 2, which was a critical and commercial success.
2005: Starring in The Ape and The Great Raid
In 2005, James Franco starred in the black comedy The Ape and the war film The Great Raid, showcasing his range as an actor.
February 11, 2006: First Public Art Display
From January 7th through February 11th, 2006, James Franco's paintings were displayed publicly for the first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles.
September 2006: Flyboys Release and The Wicker Man Appearance
In September 2006, James Franco's film Flyboys was released, and he also appeared in The Wicker Man remake and The Holiday.
2007: Spider-Man 3 Release
In 2007, James Franco appeared in Spider-Man 3, concluding his role as Harry Osborn in the trilogy.
2007: Spider-Man 3 and Other Projects
In 2007, James Franco starred in Spider-Man 3, appeared in Knocked Up, Camille, and Interview, and wrote, directed, and starred in Good Time Max, showcasing his diverse roles and creative endeavors.
September 20, 2008: Hosting Saturday Night Live
On September 20, 2008, James Franco hosted Saturday Night Live (SNL) for the first time, demonstrating his comedic talents.
2008: Starring in Milk and Pineapple Express
In 2008, James Franco starred in Milk and Pineapple Express, expanding his filmography with diverse roles.
2008: Starring in Milk
In 2008, James Franco starred in Milk, playing Scott Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk. He later won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor.
2008: Face of Gucci's men's fragrance line
In 2008, James Franco was named as the face of Gucci's men's fragrance line.
June 12, 2009: Withdrawal as UCLA Commencement Speaker
James Franco was selected as the commencement speaker at UCLA, scheduled for June 12, 2009, but he withdrew due to a date conflict with film pre-production.
December 19, 2009: Second Time Hosting Saturday Night Live
On December 19, 2009, James Franco hosted the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) for the second time, marking another milestone in his career.
2009: Recurring role on General Hospital
In 2009, James Franco had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera General Hospital.
2009: Joining General Hospital
In late 2009, James Franco joined the cast of the daytime soap opera General Hospital on a recurring basis as Franco, a multimedia artist.
May 2010: Cast in Rise of the Planet of the Apes
In May 2010, James Franco was cast in Rupert Wyatt's Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series.
May 2010: Short film presentations
In May 2010, James Franco's short films The Feast of Stephen and Herbert White were presented within Maryland Film Festival.
June 2010: First solo exhibition, "The Dangerous Book Four Boys"
In June 2010, James Franco presented his first solo exhibition, "The Dangerous Book Four Boys", at The Clocktower Gallery in New York City. The show featured video, drawings, sculptures and installation.
September 2010: Acquired rights to The Adderall Diaries
In September 2010, James Franco acquired the rights to Stephen Elliott's The Adderall Diaries, with plans to adapt, direct, and star in the film.
October 19, 2010: Publication of Palo Alto
On October 19, 2010, Scribner published a collection of short stories, Palo Alto, by James Franco. The book, named after the California city where Franco grew up, explores the lives of teenagers in Palo Alto.
November 5, 2010: Limited release of 127 Hours
On November 5, 2010, 127 Hours, directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco as Aron Ralston, was given a limited release. The film portrays Ralston's experience of being trapped in a ravine and resorting to amputating his arm to survive.
2010: Appearance on 30 Rock, roles in Date Night, Eat Pray Love and Howl
In 2010, James Franco appeared on the sitcom 30 Rock, playing himself in a fake romance. He also appeared in the commercially successful movies Date Night and Eat Pray Love, and played Allen Ginsberg in the drama Howl, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival.
2010: Franco produced and directed documentary titled Saturday Night
In 2010, James Franco produced and directed a documentary titled Saturday Night, which documented a week in the production of an episode of SNL. In summer 2010, the fictional Franco from General Hospital held an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, while the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum based on his experiences on the soap opera.
2010: Starring in Eat Pray Love and 127 Hours
In 2010, James Franco starred in Eat Pray Love and 127 Hours, and received a Best Actor nomination at the 83rd Academy Awards for 127 Hours.
January 2011: Planned to star in and direct The Night Stalker
In January 2011, James Franco announced his plans to star in and direct The Night Stalker, a film adaptation of Philip Carlo's book about serial killer Richard Ramirez.
January 2011: Screening of Three's Company The Drama at Sundance
In January 2011, James Franco screened his multimedia project, entitled Three's Company The Drama, in which he merges video and art to update the titular sitcom, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
January 2011: Honored at Art of Elysium Heaven Gala
In January 2011, James Franco was honored for his work at the Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, receiving the Spirit of Elysium accolade for his volunteer work helping children with serious medical conditions.
January 26, 2011: Satirical Video Release
On January 26, 2011, James Franco and the Harvard Lampoon released a satirical video on Funny or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation as UCLA's commencement speaker.
February 23, 2011: Cameo Appearance on Minute to Win It
On February 23, 2011, James Franco made a cameo appearance on NBC's Minute to Win It, where Aron Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity.
February 27, 2011: Hosting the 83rd Academy Awards
On February 27, 2011, James Franco co-hosted the 83rd Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway. They were chosen to attract a younger audience, but Franco's performance was heavily criticized for his perceived lack of energy and disinterest. He later addressed the criticism, stating he never had high hopes for the job and denying allegations of being under the influence.
March 31, 2011: An Evening with James Franco
On March 31, 2011, James Franco participated in "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington D.C. dinner benefit for 826DC, where he discussed the importance of original literature programs in schools.
April 2011: Autographed T-shirt for Tsunami Relief
In April 2011, James Franco autographed a T-shirt to be auctioned off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds donated for Japanese tsunami relief.
July 2011: Filming began for Oz the Great and Powerful
In July 2011, filming began for Oz the Great and Powerful, a Disney prequel to L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), starring James Franco.
August 5, 2011: Release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes
On August 5, 2011, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, starring James Franco, was released. The film is a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series.
2011: First European Art Exhibition
In 2011, James Franco launched his first European art exhibition at Peres Projects in Berlin.
2011: Directorial Debut and Film Projects
In 2011, James Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut at Stella Adler Studios with "Collage", a mixed-media show. He also directed music videos for R.E.M. and worked on "The Broken Tower", a docudrama about poet Hart Crane. "Collapse into Now (2011)" album by R.E.M. was also released.
2011: Starring in Rise of the Planet of the Apes
In 2011, James Franco starred in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, furthering his presence in blockbuster films.
2011: Teaching Film Courses
In 2011, James Franco taught a graduate-level film course at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He has also taught film classes at USC and UCLA, as well as a screenwriting class on the online learning community Skillshare. He also helped to attract actors for his student's film projects.
February 2012: Began Shooting Child of God
In February 2012, James Franco began shooting a film version of Cormac McCarthy's 1973 novella Child of God, starring Scott Haze as Lester Ballard.
September 2012: Release of Daddy's First Single and EP
In September 2012, James Franco announced the release of his band Daddy's first single, "Love in the Old Days," and their first EP, "MotorCity".
2012: Starring in Spring Breakers
In 2012, James Franco starred in Spring Breakers, showcasing his versatility in more edgy and independent films.
2012: Release of "The Broken Tower" on DVD
In 2012, James Franco's docudrama "The Broken Tower", which had been screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2011, was released on DVD.
March 8, 2013: Release of Oz the Great and Powerful
Oz the Great and Powerful, a Disney prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz starring James Franco, was released on March 8, 2013.
March 2013: Broadway Debut Announced
In March 2013, it was announced that James Franco was set to make his 2014 Broadway stage debut in the role of George in a revival of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
July 9, 2013: Announcement as Comedy Central Roast Roastee
On July 9, 2013, James Franco announced that he would be the featured roastee on the next Comedy Central Roast.
September 2, 2013: Comedy Central Roast Airs
On September 2, 2013, the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco aired.
September 2013: A24 campaign for Spring Breakers
In September 2013, A24 films began a campaign in support of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for James Franco's performance in Spring Breakers.
October 2013: Appeared in "City of Angels" music video
In October 2013, James Franco appeared in the music video for "City of Angels" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.
December 2013: Article on Selfies
In December 2013, James Franco wrote an explanatory article for The New York Times about his reputation for publishing "selfies".
2013: Starring in Oz the Great and Powerful and This Is the End
In 2013, James Franco starred in Oz the Great and Powerful and This Is the End, continuing his collaborative work with Seth Rogen.
2013: Release of As I Lay Dying and This is the End
In 2013, James Franco's film version of William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Also in 2013, Franco starred in This Is the End as a fictionalized version of himself.
February 2014: Article in The New York Times
In February 2014, James Franco wrote an article in The New York Times in support of Shia LaBeouf's metamodernist performance art.
April 2014: Publication of Poetry Collection
In April 2014, Graywolf Press issued James Franco's first collection of poetry, "Directing Herbert White".
April 2014: Directed and appeared in "Techno Color Sunglasses"
In April 2014, James Franco directed and appeared in "Techno Color Sunglasses", a promotional video for Gucci's eyewear collection.
April 2014: Presentation at Easter Bonnet Competition
In April 2014, James Franco presented at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition with Leighton Meester and Chris O'Dowd, after raising donations at his Broadway show Of Mice and Men.
June 2014: Performance in Broadway Bares
In June 2014, James Franco performed in the BC/EFA benefit Broadway Bares.
2014: Starring in The Interview
In 2014, James Franco starred in The Interview, another collaboration with Seth Rogen.
April 2015: Projects shown at Sundance Film Festival
In April 2015, two of James Franco's projects, I Am Michael and True Story, were shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. In I Am Michael, Franco played a gay activist and in True Story he played Christian Longo, a man who murdered his family.
2015: Cast in 11.22.63
In 2015, James Franco was cast in the lead role for the Hulu limited series 11.22.63, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.
2015: Washington Post Editorial
In 2015, James Franco wrote a Washington Post editorial titled "McDonald's was there for me when no one else was", reflecting nostalgically on his time working at McDonald's.
February 15, 2016: Premiere of 11.22.63
On February 15, 2016, the eight-episode series 11.22.63, based on the novel by Stephen King and starring James Franco, premiered on Hulu.
December 2016: Release of Why Him?
In December 2016, the comedy Why Him?, starring James Franco as a tech-billionaire, was released.
2016: Franco directs and stars in The Disaster Artist
In 2016, James Franco directed, co-produced, and starred in The Disaster Artist, the film adaptation of Greg Sestero's book about the making of The Room.
2016: Starring in Sausage Party
In 2016, James Franco starred in Sausage Party, marking another collaboration with Seth Rogen.
2016: Starring in 11.22.63
In 2016, James Franco starred in the limited series 11.22.63.
May 19, 2017: Release of Alien: Covenant
On May 19, 2017, Alien: Covenant, in which James Franco briefly appeared as Branson, was released.
December 1, 2017: Release of The Disaster Artist
On December 1, 2017, The Disaster Artist, starring James Franco as Tommy Wiseau, was released to positive reviews.
2017: Franco to slow down and focus on himself
At the end of 2017, James Franco stated that he was slowing down his career to focus on himself.
2017: Starring in The Disaster Artist
In 2017, James Franco starred in The Disaster Artist and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance.
2017: Starring in The Deuce
In 2017, James Franco starred in the David Simon-created HBO drama The Deuce.
October 3, 2019: Lawsuit Filed Against Franco
On October 3, 2019, two former students of James Franco's Studio 4 filed a lawsuit against him and his partners, alleging sexual exploitation under the guise of education. The lawsuit claimed students were subjected to sexually exploitative auditions and film shoots and pressured into simulated sexual acts.
2019: The Deuce Concludes
In 2019, The Deuce, an HBO drama starring James Franco, concluded its run.
February 21, 2021: Lawsuit Settlement Reported
On February 21, 2021, news outlets reported that James Franco's lawsuit with former students had been settled. The settlement documents were filed on February 11, and both students agreed to drop their claims.
March 15, 2021: Settlement Submitted for Court Approval
On March 15, 2021, the settlement deal between James Franco and his former students was submitted for preliminary court approval.
April 2021: Charlyne Yi's Statement
In April 2021, Charlyne Yi stated they attempted to quit 'The Disaster Artist' over allegations against James Franco. Yi claimed the filmmakers responded by offering them a larger role which they saw as an attempted bribe.
June 2021: Terms of Settlement Revealed
In June 2021, the terms of James Franco's settlement were revealed, indicating that he would pay over $2.2 million to resolve two legal disputes, pending a judge's approval.
December 23, 2021: First interview in nearly four years
On December 23, 2021, James Franco gave his first interview in nearly four years when he appeared on an episode of the Jess Cagle Podcast.
August 2022: Cast as Fidel Castro in Alina in Cuba
In August 2022, James Franco was cast as Fidel Castro in Alina in Cuba, a casting decision that was supported by Fidel Castro's daughter.
October 2024: Hey Joe premiered at Rome Film Festival
In October 2024, Hey Joe starring James Franco premiered at the Rome Film Festival.
November 28, 2024: Hey Joe opened in Italian cinemas
On November 28, 2024, the movie Hey Joe, starring James Franco, opened in Italian cinemas.
2024: Franco appeared in The Price of Money: A Largo Winch Adventure
In 2024, James Franco appeared in the French thriller The Price of Money: A Largo Winch Adventure.
May 2025: Golden State Killer Acquired for US Distribution
In May 2025, Deadline reported that Lionsgate’s partner Grindstone acquired U.S. distribution for the true-crime feature Golden State Killer (retitled from The Policeman), with James Franco as the detective trying to catch serial killer Joseph James DeAngelo.
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