James Franco: Sexual Misconduct Allegations ‘Not Accurate’
James Franco addressed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him when the Golden Globe-winning actor appeared on Late Show With Stephen Colbert Tuesday.
At the Golden Globes, Franco was among the actors to wear a Time’s Up pin at the award show, a sign of solidarity with the women who started the movement. However, Franco’s pin drew criticism on social media, particularly from actress Ally Sheedy who, while not getting into specifics in a since-deleted tweet, hinted that working with Franco in an off-Broadway play was one of the reasons she quit acting.
On Tuesday, Colbert pressed Franco about the controversy over the actor wearing the pin as well as the allegations made against him on social media, with the actor calling the accusations “not accurate.”
“First, I want to say that I do support [Time’s Up]. Look, I was so excited to win but being in that room that night was incredible. It was powerful and there were incredible voices, and I support it. I support change,” Franco said.
“There were some things on Twitter — I didn’t read them. I’ve heard about them. Okay, first of all, I have no idea what I did to Ally Sheedy. I directed her in a play Off Broadway. I had nothing but a great time with her, total respect for her. I have no idea why she was so upset. She took the tweet down. I don’t know. I can’t speak for her, I don’t know,” Franco added. “The others, look, in my life I pride myself on taking responsibility for things that I’ve done. I have to do that to maintain my well-being. I do it whenever I know that there is something wrong or needs to be changed, I make it a point to do it. The things that I heard that were on Twitter are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out and being able to have a voice because they didn’t have a voice for so long. So, I don’t want to shut them down in any way. It’s a good thing and I support it.”
In addition to Sheedy’s tweets, another actress named Violet Paley accused Franco of pushing “my head down in a car towards your exposed penis” in a tweet as well as allegations that the actor pursued 17-year-old girls, an accusation that was similarly levied on Franco four year ago that he admitted to.
In light of the accusations against Franco, the New York Times canceled a planned TimesTalk event with the actor about the making of The Disaster Artist, with a spokesperson for the newspaper adding in a statement, “Given the controversy surrounding recent allegations, we’re no longer comfortable proceeding in that vein.”
Colbert also asked Franco how to reconcile accusations against him with his assertion that the allegations are inaccurate. “The way I live my life, I can’t live if there’s restitution to be made,” he said. “I will make it. So if I’ve done something wrong, I will fix it. I have to. I mean, I think that’s how that works. I don’t know what else to do.”
“I really don’t have the answers and I think the point of this whole thing is that we listen,” he added. “You know, there were incredible people talking that night. They had a lot to say, and I’m here to listen and learn and change my perspective where it’s off, and I’m completely willing and want to.”
Watch below: Actor and filmmaker Tommy Wiseau made for the microphone before James Franco pushed him aside at the Golden Globes; here’s what he wanted to say.