James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in 127 Hours (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), Milk (2008), Eat, Pray, Love (2010), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). He is known for his collaborations with fellow actor Seth Rogen, having appeared in eight films and one television series with him, examples being Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), Sausage Party (2016), and The Disaster Artist (2017), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
Franco is also known for his work on television where his first prominent acting role was the character Daniel Desario on the short-lived ensemble comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), which developed a cult following. He portrayed the title character in the television biographical film James Dean (2001), for which he won a Golden Globe Award, and received nominations for Screen Actors Guild Award and Primetime Emmy Award. Franco had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera General Hospital (2009–2012) and starred in the limited series 11.22.63 (2016). He starred in the David Simon-created HBO drama The Deuce (2017–2019).
Golden Globe Awards
Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
Known For
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
(2014)
Will Rodman (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(2011)
Will Rodman
Spider-Man
(2002)
Harry Osborn
Alien: Covenant
(2017)
Jacob Branson (uncredited)
Homefront
(2013)
Morgan 'Gator' Bodine
The Interview
(2014)
Dave Skylark
Sausage Party
(2016)
Druggie (voice)
Spider-Man 3
(2007)
New Goblin / Harry Osborn
Knocked Up
(2007)
Himself (uncredited)
The Holiday
(2006)
James Franco (uncredited)
127 Hours
(2010)
Aron Ralston
Flyboys
(2006)
Blaine Rawlings
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
(2018)
Cowboy (segment "Near Algodones")
Kin
(2018)
Taylor Balik
Date Night
(2010)
Taste
The Little Prince
(2015)
The Fox (voice)
Full Filmography
Acting
Never Been Kissed
(1999)
Jason
To Serve and Protect
(1999)
Matt Carr
Whatever It Takes
(2000)
Chris Campbell
At Any Cost
(2000)
Mike
If Tomorrow Comes
(2000)
Devin
James Dean
(2001)
James Dean
Mean People Suck
(2001)
Casey
Some Body
(2001)
Apartment Guy #3
Spider-Man
(2002)
Harry Osborn
Sonny
(2002)
Sonny
City by the Sea
(2002)
Joey
Mother Ghost
(2002)
Skateboarder guy
The Car Kid
(2002)
You Always Stalk the Ones You Love
(2002)
Deuces Wild
(2002)
Tino
Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man'
(2002)
Self
Spider-Mania
(2002)
Self
The Company
(2003)
Josh
Blind Spot
(2003)
Danny
Spider-Man 2
(2004)
Harry Osborn
The Great Raid
(2005)
Captain Prince
The Ape
(2005)
Harry Walker
Fool's Gold
(2005)
Brent
Tristan & Isolde
(2006)
Tristan
Flyboys
(2006)
Blaine Rawlings
Annapolis
(2006)
Jake Huard
The Dead Girl
(2006)
Derek
Grasshopper
(2006)
Travis
The Holiday
(2006)
James Franco (uncredited)
The Wicker Man
(2006)
Bar Guy #1
Spider-Man 3
(2007)
New Goblin / Harry Osborn
Knocked Up
(2007)
Himself (uncredited)
In the Valley of Elah
(2007)
Sergeant Carnelli
An American Crime
(2007)
Andy
The Hills with James Franco and Mila Kunis
(2007)
Justin Bobby
Interview
(2007)
Boyfriend on Phone (voice)
Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee
(2007)
Dean Silo
Milk
(2008)
Scott Smith
Pineapple Express
(2008)
Saul Silver
Camille
(2008)
Silias
Good Time Max
(2008)
Max
Nights in Rodanthe
(2008)
Mark Flanner (uncredited)
Erased James Franco
(2009)
Himself
The Room Before and After - Part 1: James Franco
(2009)
SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas
(2009)
Date Night
(2010)
Taste
127 Hours
(2010)
Aron Ralston
Eat Pray Love
(2010)
David
Howl
(2010)
Allen Ginsberg
Shadows & Lies
(2010)
William Vincent
Love and Distrust
(2010)
Travis (segment "Grasshopper")
With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story
(2010)
Self
Saturday Night
(2010)
Self
Masculinity & Me
(2010)
14 Actors Acting
(2010)
Self
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(2011)
Will Rodman
Your Highness
(2011)
Fabious
Eames: The Architect and the Painter
(2011)
Narrator
The Green Hornet
(2011)
Danny Crystal Cleer (uncredited)
Caput
(2011)
The Iceman
(2012)
Marty Freeman
The Broken Tower
(2012)
Hart Crane
About Cherry
(2012)
Francis
The Letter
(2012)
Tyrone
Maladies
(2012)
James
The Color of Time
(2012)
C.K. Williams (age 40)
Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present
(2012)
Self
Hart Crane: An Exegesis
(2012)
Himself
Oz the Great and Powerful
(2013)
Oz
Lovelace
(2013)
Hugh Hefner
Spring Breakers
(2013)
Alien
This Is the End
(2013)
James Franco
As I Lay Dying
(2013)
Darl Bundren
Interior. Leather Bar.
(2013)
James
Third Person
(2013)
Rick
Homefront
(2013)
Morgan 'Gator' Bodine
Sal
(2013)
Milton Katselas
Comedy Central Roast of James Franco
(2013)
Self
A Fuller Life
(2013)
Self - Reader (segment "Copy Boy")
Playtime
(2013)
The Art Dealer
What Is Cinema?
(2013)
Self
Roast of James Franco: Red Carpet Pre-Show
(2013)
Self
Here Comes the Night Time
(2013)
Man on Phone
Mademoiselle C
(2013)
Self
Bound 3
(2013)
"Kanye" Substitute
Child of God
(2014)
Jerry
Palo Alto
(2014)
Mr. B
Veronica Mars
(2014)
James Franco (uncredited)
Good People
(2014)
Tom Reed
The Interview
(2014)
Dave Skylark
National Theatre Live: Of Mice and Men
(2014)
George
Future Relic 02
(2014)
The Searcher
Obituaries
(2014)
Felix Mitchum
Behind the Scenes of Palo Alto
(2014)
Self
Dave Skylark's Very Special VMA Special
(2014)
David Skylark
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
(2014)
Will Rodman (archive footage) (uncredited)
True Story
(2015)
Christian Longo
Every Thing Will Be Fine
(2015)
Tomas Eldan
Wild Horses
(2015)
Ben Briggs
Black Dog, Red Dog
(2015)
Leo
The Sound and the Fury
(2015)
Benjy Compson
Queen of the Desert
(2015)
Henry Cadogan
I Am Michael
(2015)
Michael Glatze
The Little Prince
(2015)
The Fox (voice)
The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards
(2015)
Conrad
The Night Before
(2015)
Self
Call Me Lucky
(2015)
Self
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
(2015)
Pasamonte
Richard Peter Johnson
(2015)
James Franco
Killing Animals
(2015)
Mr. Hurston
A Walk in Winter
(2015)
Conrad
Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special
(2015)
Self
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
(2016)
Director
Memoria
(2016)
Mr. Wyckoff
Yosemite
(2016)
Phil
In Dubious Battle
(2016)
Mac McLeod
The Adderall Diaries
(2016)
Stephen Elliott
Sausage Party
(2016)
Druggie (voice)
Burn Country
(2016)
Lindsay
King Cobra
(2016)
Joe Kerekes
Why Him?
(2016)
Laird Mayhew
Goat
(2016)
Mitch
The Caged Pillows
(2016)
David D-R+
The 4%: Film's Gender Problem
(2016)
Self
Blood Surf
(2016)
Metalhead Troy
The Disaster Artist
(2017)
Tommy Wiseau
Actors Anonymous
(2017)
Jake Lamont
The Mad Whale
(2017)
The Vault
(2017)
Ed Mass
The Labyrinth
(2017)
Narrator (voice)
The Institute
(2017)
Dr. Cairn
High School Lover
(2017)
Rick Winters
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Last Supper
(2017)
Capt. Jacob Branson
Blood Heist
(2017)
Farmer Simon
The Show
(2017)
Male Host
Alien: Covenant
(2017)
Jacob Branson (uncredited)
Kin
(2018)
Taylor Balik
Future World
(2018)
Warlord
Mississippi Requiem
(2018)
Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary
(2018)
Self
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
(2018)
Cowboy (segment "Near Algodones")
Zeroville
(2019)
Vikar
Arctic Dogs
(2019)
Lemmy (voice)
Pretenders
(2019)
Maxwell
Don't Come Back from the Moon
(2019)
Roman Smalley
The Long Home
(2021)
Dallas Hardin
Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
The Price of Money: A Largo Winch Adventure
(2024)
Directing
The Ape
(2005)
Director
Fool's Gold
(2005)
Director
Good Time Max
(2008)
Director
The Feast of Stephen
(2009)
Director
Herbert White
(2010)
Director
Saturday Night
(2010)
Director
Goat Boy
(2010)
Director
The Clerk's Tale
(2010)
Director
Masculinity & Me
(2010)
Director
42 One Dream Rush
(2010)
Director
My Own Private River
(2011)
Director
Blood Meridian Test Reel
(2011)
Director
The Broken Tower
(2012)
Director
Francophrenia
(2012)
Director
Hart Crane: An Exegesis
(2012)
Director
As I Lay Dying
(2013)
Director
Interior. Leather Bar.
(2013)
Director
Sal
(2013)
Director
Bukowski
(2013)
Director
Venice 70: Future Reloaded
(2013)
Director
La Passione
(2013)
Director
Child of God
(2014)
Director
I Think You're Totally Wrong: A Quarrel
(2014)
Director
The Sound and the Fury
(2015)
Director
Black Dog, Red Dog
(2015)
Director
In Dubious Battle
(2016)
Director
The Disaster Artist
(2017)
Director
The Institute
(2017)
Director
Tenn
(2017)
Director
Future World
(2018)
Director
Zeroville
(2019)
Director
Pretenders
(2019)
Director
Birth of a Poet
(2020)
Director
The Long Home
(2021)
Director
Production
The Ape
(2005)
Executive Producer
The Broken Tower
(2012)
Producer
The Color of Time
(2012)
Producer
Jeffrey
(2012)
Executive Producer
Kink
(2013)
Producer
The Director
(2013)
Producer
Interior. Leather Bar.
(2013)
Producer
The Interview
(2014)
Executive Producer
Guests
(2014)
Executive Producer
Miss Famous
(2015)
Executive Producer
A Walk in Winter
(2015)
Executive Producer
I Am Michael
(2015)
Producer
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
(2015)
Executive Producer
King Cobra
(2016)
Producer
The Adderall Diaries
(2016)
Producer
In Dubious Battle
(2016)
Producer
Yosemite
(2016)
Executive Producer
Goat
(2016)
Producer
Why Him?
(2016)
Executive Producer
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
(2016)
Executive Producer
Blood Surf
(2016)
Executive Producer
The Disaster Artist
(2017)
Producer
The Institute
(2017)
Executive Producer
The Labyrinth
(2017)
Executive Producer
High School Lover
(2017)
Executive Producer
Rio
(2017)
Executive Producer
Mississippi Requiem
(2018)
Executive Producer
Future World
(2018)
Producer
Don't Come Back from the Moon
(2019)
Producer
Sleepaway Slasher
(2020)
Executive Producer
Writing
The Ape
(2005)
Writer
Fool's Gold
(2005)
Writer
Good Time Max
(2008)
Writer
The Feast of Stephen
(2009)
Writer
Herbert White
(2010)
Writer
Masculinity & Me
(2010)
Writer
The Clerk's Tale
(2010)
Screenplay
The Broken Tower
(2012)
Screenplay
As I Lay Dying
(2013)
Screenplay
Sal
(2013)
Story
Bukowski
(2013)
Writer
Child of God
(2014)
Screenplay
Palo Alto
(2014)
Book and Author
Killing Animals
(2015)
Novel
Black Dog, Red Dog
(2015)
Writer
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
(2016)
Story
Yosemite
(2016)
Book
Actors Anonymous
(2017)
Writer
Mississippi Requiem
(2018)
Writer
Birth of a Poet
(2020)
Writer
Editing
Crew