Dave Franco has opened up about his bond with his embattled older brother James, calling their dynamic “complicated” while insisting he still loves him.
The 39-year-old actor, who has spent years shaking the “James Franco’s little brother” label, made the comments during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. Franco, 47, has faced Hollywood exile since 2018 misconduct allegations torpedoed his Oscar campaign for “The Disaster Artist.”
Franco told Shepard that he has begun to feel “a lot more [his own person] in recent years,” crediting both his own career trajectory and the distance he has put between himself and his brother’s shadow. The “21 Jump Street” star said he remains grateful for the guidance James provided when he was breaking into the industry.
“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.”
He continued that watching how James “navigated certain situations” taught him valuable lessons he will “always be grateful for.”
The conversation turned to family interviews when Shepard and Franco discussed how sitting down with relatives for formal conversations surfaces topics that rarely come up otherwise. Franco recalled an Esquire shoot where he interviewed James, saying he realized mid-conversation: “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.”
Shepard drew a Hollywood parallel, telling Franco that his rise reminded him of “Frank Stallone and Sylvester, but that Dave had risen up to be co-Sylvester.”
Franco acknowledged the comparison’s sting, adding that establishing his own identity proved especially difficult because “he’s a very talented [actor].”
The “Together” star has built his own resume across comedy and horror, including roles in “Neighbors 2,” the A24 film “Together” opposite wife Alison Brie, and Seth Rogen’s recent series “The Studio.” Rogen, who collaborated with both Francos for years, has publicly severed ties with James following the misconduct fallout.
James Franco was accused of sexual assault by an ex-girlfriend and sued by multiple former students of his now-shuttered acting school, who alleged he ran sexually exploitative classes including one dubbed “Sex Scenes.” He admitted in 2021 to sleeping with students but maintained the classes were separate from those relationships. Speaking on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” that year, James said: “I don’t want Seth [Rogen] or my brother or anyone to have to answer for me anymore.”
Dave had remained publicly silent on the allegations until this podcast appearance, which marks his most extensive comments on their relationship to date.
Franco currently stars in Rogen’s “The Studio,” which premiered its first season this year.