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James Franco
Best known for his breakthrough starring role on "Freaks and Geeks" (1999), James Franco was born in Palo Alto, California on April 19, 1978. Growing up with his two younger brothers, James graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996 and went on to attend UCLA, majoring in English. To overcome his shyness, he got into acting while studying there, which, much to his parents' dismay, he left after only one year. After fifteen months of intensive study at Robert Carnegie's Playhouse West, James began actively pursuing his dream of finding work as an actor in Hollywood. In that short time, he landed himself a starring role on "Freaks and Geeks" (1999). The show, however, was not a hit to its viewers at the time, and was canceled after its first year. Now, it has become a cult-hit. Prior to joining "Freaks and Geeks" (1999), Franco starred in the TV miniseries "To Serve and Protect" (1999). After that, he had a starring role in Whatever It Takes (2000).
Although he'd been working steadily, it wasn't until the TNT made-for-television movie, James Dean (2001) (TV) that James rose to fan-magazine fame and got to show off his talent. Since then, he has been working non-stop. After losing the lead role to Tobey Maguire, James settled for the part of "Harry Osborne", Spider-Man's best friend in the summer 2002 major hit Spider-Man (2002). He returned to the Osborne role for the next two films in the trilogy.
Next was Deuces Wild (2002) and City by the Sea (2002), in which Robert De Niro personally had him cast, after viewing his performance in James Dean (2001) (TV). He was recently seen in David Gordon Green's Pineapple Express (2008) opposite Seth Rogen, in George C. Wolfe's Nights in Rodanthe (2008), starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane and in Paul Haggis' In the Valley of Elah (2007), starring Tommy Lee Jones. Also starring opposite Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant's Milk (2008/I) in which his performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor. Definitely growing out of his shyness, James Franco is turning into a legend of his own.
News |
What members say |
Filmography
James Franco - news / articles
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James Franco films new version of Cruising -
24 August 2012
-James Franco is preparing to go gay once more in a new project based on filmmaker William Friedkin's controversial movie Cruising.-The actor, who played Sean Penn's character's lover in Milk, has been inspired to shoot his own version of the 1980 film, which starred
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Franco to play Mapplethorpe -
13 January 2012
-James Franco has been cast as celebrated and controversial photographer and artist Robert Mapplethorpe in a new biopic.-It's not the first time the 127 Hours actor has signed up to play a famous homosexual on the big screen - he played beat poet Allen Ginsberg in How
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Franco: 'Oscars should recognise Serkis' -
29 December 2011
-Former Oscars host James Franco has urged Academy Awards voters to seriously consider his Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes co-star Andy Serkis for a Best Actor prize - because the work the Brit is doing with motion capture animation is amazing.-Serkis shot to fame when
James Franco - what members say
review by A customer from Newcastle
EXCELLENT, MUST SEE MOVIE! 17 May 2004
review by from London
Outstanding superhero sequel 25 September 2004
review by biscuitbuscemi from Ossett
The story of a fascinating life, well told 13 February 2009
James Franco - filmography
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Oz - The Great and Powerful
(2013)
Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate: 
Fantasy adventure directed by Sam Raimi. Acting as a prequel to the much-loved classic 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939), the film explores how the titular hero, Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a largely unsuccessful circus magician in Kansas, may have found his way to the Land of Oz and his early days in the ..read more »
 
70%
from 218 members
Due for release on 1st July 2013
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This Is the End
(2013)
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel
Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Certificate:
Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen direct this comedy action movie in which a number of Hollywood stars, including Rogen himself, play fictionalised versions of themselves facing up to the apocalypse. When Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson attend a party at James Franco's ..read more »
69%
from 12 members
Currently unavailable
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Oz - The Great and Powerful - Blu-ray
(2013)
Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate:
Fantasy adventure directed by Sam Raimi. Acting as a prequel to the much-loved classic 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939), the film explores how the titular hero, Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a largely unsuccessful circus magician in Kansas, may have found his way to the Land of Oz and his early days in the ..read more »
71%
from 7 members
Due for release on 1st July 2013
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About Cherry
(2012)
Starring: Ashley Hinshaw, Lili Taylor, James Franco
Director: Stephen Elliott
Certificate: 
A drama centered on a troubled young woman who moves to San Francisco, where she gets involved in pornography and aligns herself with a cocaine-addicted lawyer.
No ratings yet. Be the first.
Due for release on 9th September 2013
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Spring Breakers
(2012)
Starring: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson
Director: Harmony Korine, Harmony Korine
Certificate:
This adrenaline-pumping must-see film of the year follows teen tearaways, Brit (Ashley Benson), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Cotty (Rachel Korine) and Faith (Selena Gomez) who hold up a restaurant with toy guns to fund their trip to Florida for two wild weeks of sexy fun and sun-drenched partying at ‘..read more »
70%
from 108 members
Currently unavailable
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Your Highness
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: Charles Dance, Noah Huntley, Rasmus Hardiker
Director: David Gordon Green
Certificate: 
Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general.
Danny ..read more »
52%
from 10,645 members
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Eames - The Architect And The Painter
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: James Franco
Certificate: 
James Franco narrates this documentary about husband-and-wife design duo Charles and Ray Eames. Widely regarded as America's most important modern designers, they are perhaps best remembered for their mid 20th-century plywood and fibreglass furniture, although the Eames Office also created many ..read more »
70%
from 68 members
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Date Night
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, James Franco
Director: Shawn Levy
Certificate:
In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
66%
from 30,361 members
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127 Hours
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Kate Mara
Director: Danny Boyle
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.
72%
from 44,748 members
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Eat, Pray, Love
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Billy Crudup
Director: Ryan Murphy
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone,..read more »
58%
from 33,340 members
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Eat, Pray, Love - Blu-ray
(2010)
Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Billy Crudup
Director: Ryan Murphy
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone,..read more »
54%
from 6,522 members
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Date Night - Blu-ray
(2010)
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, James Franco
Director: Shawn Levy
Certificate:
In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
65%
from 4,777 members
Currently unavailable
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127 Hours - Blu-ray
(2010)
Starring: James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Kate Mara
Director: Danny Boyle
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover ..read more »
73%
from 371 members
Not available for rental
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Howl
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: James Franco, Paul Rudd, Mary-Louise Parker
Director: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Certificate:
Rob Epstein directs this drama based on the obscenity trial faced by Beat poet Allen Ginsberg following the publication of his poem 'Howl'. Set in 1950s San Francisco, the film stars James Franco as the young Ginsberg, who becomes a lynchpin of the Beat generation, alongside the likes of Jack ..read more »
59%
from 2,842 members
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Nights in Rodanthe
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Diane Lane, Richard Gere, James Franco
Director: George C. Wolfe
Certificate: 
Watch now: Unavailable
Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquillity she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her-a wayward ..read more »
62%
from 6,736 members
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Milk
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch
Director: Gus Van Sant
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
75%
from 41,229 members
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Pineapple Express - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: James Remar, Seth Rogen, Ed Begley Jr.
Director: David Gordon Green
Certificate:
Comedy starring Seth Rogen, who also wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Judd Apatow and Evan Goldberg. Dale Denton (Rogen) is a stoner with a mundane courthouse job that enables him to indulge his habit to his heart's content. He regularly visits his dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco), who ..read more »
60%
from 8,189 members
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Nights in Rodanthe - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: Diane Lane, Scott Glenn, Mae Whitman
Director: George C. Wolfe
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Romantic drama starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Adrienne Willis (Lane) retreats to the small coastal town of Rodanthe in North Carolina to take stock of her life and decide whether or not to continue with her unhappy marriage. The only other resident at her guest house is Dr Paul Flanner (Gere)..read more »
61%
from 638 members
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Milk - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch
Director: Gus Van Sant
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
73%
from 5,636 members
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In the Valley of Elah
on DVD
(2007)
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric
Director: Paul Haggis
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
A career officer (Jones) and his wife (Sarandon) work with a police detective (Theron) to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.
68%
from 38,503 members
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Camille
(2007)
Starring: Ed Lauter, Scott Glenn, Sienna Miller
Director: Gregory Mackenzie
Certificate:
A twisted love story of a young couple on their way to to the Niagra Falls for their honeymoon. Silas Parker is a moody petty-thief who marries his parole officer's niece, wanting to use the honeymoon as an opportunity to escape to Canada. Camille Foster is a sweetheart and truly believes Niagara ..read more »
54%
from 15 members
Currently unavailable
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Good Time Max
on DVD
(2007)
Starring: Molly Cheek, Madalyn Lest, Bailey Hughes
Director: James Franco
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Actor James Franco co-writes, stars in and directs this stunning drama about two intellectually brothers; Max (James Franco) and Adam (Matt Bell) who take drastically different courses in life. With Adam evolves into a successful doctor career while Max leads a roller-coaster, drug-fueled existence...read more »
50%
from 42 members
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Spider-Man 3 - Blu-ray
(2007)
Starring: Thomas Haden Church, Tobey Maguire, James Cromwell
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate: 
Three years on from the previous blockbuster, Marvel comic book character Spider-Man returns in his latest adventure. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and his girl Mary-Jane (Kirsten Dunst) are on the cusp of contentment - but not for long. His ex-friend Harry (James Franco), son of the Green Goblin of ..read more »
64%
from 6,487 members
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The Dead Girl
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Toni Collette, Piper Laurie, Don Smith
Director: Karen Moncrieff
Certificate:
Teen horror starring Shiloh Fernanderz and Noah Segan. While cutting class one day, teenage misfits Rickie and JT (Fernandez and Segan) find themselves in the derelict remains of an abandoned hospital. There they make a gruesome and unnerving discovery: a woman, naked, chained and covered in ..read more »
56%
from 1,603 member
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Flyboys
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Scott Hazell, Mac McDonald, Philip Winchester
Director: Tony Bill
Certificate:
The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.
63%
from 5,829 members
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Tristan & Isolde - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Certificate:
Action adventure set after the fall of the Roman Empire. The warlords of England are brutally kept in line by the forces of Irish King Donnchadh (David O'Hara). One of these leaders, Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell), seeks to unite the English tribes to form one strong nation to rule itself. His greatest ..read more »
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Due for release on 26th July 2013
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Annapolis
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Jordana Brewster, Roger Fan, Chi McBride
Director: Justin Lin
Certificate:
James Franco stars in this coming-of-age military drama as Jake Huard. Coming from an impoverished background, Jake sets his sights on entering the exclusive Annapolis naval academy, where he is soon pushed to the limit of his endurance by ruthless training officer Lieutenant Cole (Tyrese Gibson). ..read more »
60%
from 3,193 members
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Flyboys - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Scott Hazell, Jean Reno, Todd Boyce
Director: Tony Bill
Certificate:
World War I action adventure focusing on America's first fighter pilots. The year is 1917, and the war is not going well for the allies. Although America has refused to enter the conflict, some of its more altruistic young men decide to take action. Blair Rawlings (James Franco) abandons his ranch ..read more »
63%
from 1,033 member
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The Great Raid - Blu-ray
(2005)
Starring: Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Dale Dye, Craig McLachlan
Director: John Dahl
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
War drama based on the novel 'The Great Raid on Cabanatuan' by William B. Breuer. It stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Mucci, an offbeat military man who puts his faith in young Captain Prince (James Franco) to lead a dangerous mission to rescue 500 American POWs held prisoner by the Japanese. ..read more »
63%
from 117 members
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The Great Raid
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Dale Dye, Craig McLachlan
Director: John Dahl
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
War drama based on the novel 'The Great Raid on Cabanatuan' by William B. Breuer. It stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Mucci, an offbeat military man who puts his faith in young Captain Prince (James Franco) to lead a dangerous mission to rescue 500 American POWs held prisoner by the Japanese. ..read more »
62%
from 5,394 members
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Spider-Man 2
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Daniel Gillies, Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate:
Two years have passed since the mild-mannered Peter Parker walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual ..read more »
66%
from 92,076 members
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Spider-Man 2 - Blu-ray
(2004)
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate:
Two years have passed since the mild-mannered Peter Parker walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual ..read more »
72%
from 409 members
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Sonny
on DVD
(2003)
Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Nicolas Cage, Mena Suvari
Director: Nicolas Cage
Certificate:
Sonny Phillips has just been discharged from the Army. He returns home to run-down, gothic New Orleans before heading off to make a life for himself. The only life he's known is as a gigolo, working for his mother, but he wants to leave that behind and escape his past. The job his Army buddy ..read more »
47%
from 845 members
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Spider-Man
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Bruce Campbell, Willem Dafoe
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate:
Blockbuster movie adaptation of the Marvel comic strip. When high-school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically-altered spider while on a visit to a scientific institute, he soon begins to experience unusual side-effects - such as increased strength, enhanced wall-climbing ..read more »
69%
from 58,623 members
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City by the Sea
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Eliza Dushku, Frances McDormand, William Forsythe
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
New York City homicide detective Vincent LaMarca has forged a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, making a name for himself as a man intensely committed to his work. But on his latest case, the stakes are higher for Vincent - the suspect he's investigating is his own son, Joey. ..read more »
58%
from 2,523 members
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Spider-Man - Blu-ray
(2002)
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Bruce Campbell, Willem Dafoe
Director: Sam Raimi
Certificate:
Blockbuster movie adaptation of the Marvel comic strip. When high-school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically-altered spider while on a visit to a scientific institute, he soon begins to experience unusual side-effects - such as increased strength, enhanced wall-climbing ..read more »
71%
from 401 members
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James Dean
(2001)
Starring: Valentina Cervi, Michael Moriarty, James Franco
Director: Mark Rydell
Certificate:
Biopic of the legendary 1950s film star. Directed by Mark Rydell ('On Golden Pond'), and starring James Franco as the tortured star, the film traces his rise to fame, his intense ambition to succeed as an actor, his affair with the actress Pier Angeli (Valentina Cervi), and shows how his ..read more »
66%
from 170 members
Currently unavailable
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Whatever It Takes
on DVD
(2000)
Starring: Marla Sokoloff, Shane West, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
Director: David Raynr
Certificate:
Teenage version of 'Cyrano de Bergerac' in which two guys team up to get the girls of their dreams. Ryan (Shane West) agrees to introduce the gorgeous football star Chris (James Franco) to his best friend Maggie (Marla Sokoloff) on the condition that Chris will help him meet the beautiful Ashley (..read more »
56%
from 669 members
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James Franco facts
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...MJ [ Mary Jane's short name] while this goes on his best friend Harry Osborne [ James Franco]'s father Norman Osborne [ Willem Dafoe]has signed contract for an extro- skele...
