Dave Franco Opens Up About Complex Relationship With Brother James Franco
For years, Dave Franco navigated Hollywood primarily known as “James Franco’s little brother.” However, recent successes — including 21 Jump Street, the horror film Together co-starring his wife Alison Brie, and his performance in Seth Rogen’s The Studio — have established him as a talent in his own right. Despite this, comparisons to his older brother persist, particularly following the sexual misconduct allegations that effectively cast James Franco out of the mainstream industry in 2018.
James Franco’s 2018 Allegations and Fallout
The 127 Hours star faced multiple accusations during his Oscar campaign for The Disaster Artist. An ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault, while several former students of his acting school filed lawsuits alleging he was “sexually inappropriate” and ran a “Sex Scenes” class. James Franco later admitted to sleeping with students but maintained the class was separate from those relationships. Following the allegations, longtime collaborator Seth Rogen publicly cut ties with him.
In a 2021 appearance on The Jess Cagle Show, James Franco addressed the impact on his family, stating: “I don’t want Seth [Rogen, who has cut ties with James] or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.”
Dave Franco Breaks Silence on Armchair Expert Podcast
Dave Franco had never publicly commented on the allegations against his brother until a recent appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. The conversation turned to the experience of interviewing family members and the unexpected vulnerability it creates.
Dave Franco referenced an Esquire shoot where he interviewed his brother, recalling: “Woah, we’ve never talked about any of this and you get kind of vulnerable and it’s kind of nice and you learn about each other.”
During the podcast, one of the co-hosts mentioned they had “forgot” Dave was related to James. The Together actor described the dynamic as “complicated.”
He continued: “I’ve felt a lot more [his own person] in recent years. It’s a complicated thing where I love my brother and I’m so grateful for the advice he gave me coming through this business.”
Dave Franco acknowledged the value of observing his brother’s career, saying he appreciated watching how James “navigated certain situations” and will “always be grateful for that.” He added: “I think in recent years I’ve kind of gone down my path long enough that people have started to give me my own due.” Dave noted this separation was especially challenging because “he’s a very talented [actor].”
Shepard compared the brothers’ dynamic to Frank and Sylvester Stallone, but observed that Dave had “risen up to be co-Sylvester.”
