Seth Rogen Breaks Silence on James Franco Friendship Rift

Seth Rogen has addressed his long-documented falling out with former collaborator James Franco and made clear that his position has not changed.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Rogen said: “I honestly think the nuance of it is too personal for me to get into right now. It is a very personal thing. There’s the public-facing side of it, which I’ve spoken about, and I have the same stance publicly that I’ve had, and I think the proof is in the pudding: I have not worked with him in years.”

Rogen said he has not worked with Franco in years and has no plans to do so again.

Twenty Years of Collaboration

The two actors first met on the set of Freaks and Geeks in 1999 and built a long-running creative partnership over the following two decades. They worked together on Pineapple Express (2008), The Interview (2014), and The Disaster Artist (2017), among other projects.

That working relationship effectively ended after sexual misconduct allegations were made against Franco in 2018.

How the Friendship Broke Down

In 2018, multiple women made sexual misconduct allegations against Franco, including allegations involving former acting students. Rogen initially showed support for his longtime collaborator but stepped back publicly as further accusations emerged.

In June 2021, Franco reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit involving former acting students. The settlement was reported by Variety at more than $2.2 million. Franco denied the allegations against him.

By 2021, Rogen had made his professional position clear in an interview with The Sunday Times: “I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that 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 the situation had “changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic.”

What Franco Has Said

Franco addressed the situation directly in an interview with Variety in October 2024:

“No. I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over. And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.”

Franco has not publicly responded to Rogen’s most recent comments to The New York Times.

Where Rogen Stands Now

Rogen’s June 2026 interview with The New York Times is the clearest signal yet that nothing has shifted. He explained that the personal side of the situation involves other people he does not feel it is his place to speak for publicly.

“I don’t know what I would benefit from getting deeply into it,” he said.

His public stance has remained consistent: “I have the same stance publicly that I’ve had.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Seth Rogen and James Franco stop working together?

Seth Rogen stepped away from his professional relationship with James Franco after multiple sexual misconduct allegations were made against Franco in 2018. Rogen told The Sunday Times in 2021 that he had no plans to work with Franco again — a position he has maintained publicly since.

Did Seth Rogen and James Franco ever address their falling out directly?

Yes. Rogen addressed it in interviews with The Sunday Times in 2021 and The New York Times in June 2026, saying the personal side of the situation is “too personal” to discuss fully. Franco told Variety in October 2024 that he had not spoken to Rogen and considered their friendship over.

Are Seth Rogen and James Franco still friends?

Based on public statements from both men, the two have not been in contact for some time. Franco told Variety in 2024: “I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over.” Rogen has not confirmed or denied the friendship status directly, saying only that the personal side is too nuanced to discuss publicly.

How long were Seth Rogen and James Franco friends?

The two met in 1999 on the set of Freaks and Geeks and worked together for approximately twenty years across multiple film and television projects before their professional relationship ended.

What movies did Seth Rogen and James Franco make together?

Their best-known collaborations include the TV series Freaks and Geeks (1999), along with films such as Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), The Interview (2014), and The Disaster Artist (2017).