James Franco
James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in 127 Hours (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), Milk (2008), Eat, Pray, Love (2010), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). He is known for his collaborations with fellow actor Seth Rogen, having appeared in eight films and one television series with him, examples being Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), Sausage Party (2016), and The Disaster Artist (2017), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
Franco is also known for his work on television where his first prominent acting role was the character Daniel Desario on the short-lived ensemble comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), which developed a cult following. He portrayed the title character in the television biographical film James Dean (2001), for which he won a Golden Globe Award, and received nominations for Screen Actors Guild Award and Primetime Emmy Award. Franco had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera General Hospital (2009–2012) and starred in the limited series 11.22.63 (2016). He starred in the David Simon-created HBO drama The Deuce (2017–2019).
Acted in
Naya: Legend of the Golden Dolphin
2025
as Finn (voice)
Bunny-Man
2025
Hey Joe
2024
The Price of Money: A Largo Winch Adventure
2024
as Ezio Burntwood
Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home
2022
as Self (archive footage)
The Long Home
2021
as Dallas Hardin
Arctic Dogs
2019
as Lemmy (voice)
Pretenders
2019
as Maxwell
Zeroville
2019
as Vikar
Don't Come Back from the Moon
2019
as Roman Smalley
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
2018
as Cowboy (segment "Near Algodones")
Kin
2018
as Taylor Balik
Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary
2018
as Self
Future World
2018
as Warlord
Mississippi Requiem
2018
Marcians
2017
as Self - Interviewee
The Show
2017
as Male Host
The Deuce
2017
as Vincent Martino / Frankie Martino
The Vault
2017
as Ed Mass
Dumpster Diving
2017
as El Diablo
Blood Heist
2017
as Farmer Simon
The Mad Whale
2017
Alien: Covenant
2017
as Jacob Branson (uncredited)
The Disaster Artist
2017
as Tommy / "Johnny"
Actors Anonymous
2017
as Jake Lamont
The Institute
2017
as Dr. Cairn
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Last Supper
2017
as Capt. Jacob Branson
High School Lover
2017
as Rick Winters
Why Him?
2016
as Laird Mayhew
The Labyrinth
2016
as Narrator (voice)
Blood Surf
2016
as Metalhead Troy
King Cobra
2016
as Joe Kerekes
In Dubious Battle
2016
as Mac McLeod
Goat
2016
as Mitch
Sausage Party
2016
as Druggie (voice)
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?
2016
as Director
The Caged Pillows
2016
as David D-R+
Burn Country
2016
as Lindsay
The Adderall Diaries
2016
as Stephen Elliott
Memoria
2016
as Mr. Wyckoff
The 4%: Film's Gender Problem
2016
as Self
11.22.63
2016
as Jake Epping
Angie Tribeca
2016
as Sgt. Eddie Pepper
Yosemite
2016
as Phil
Richard Peter Johnson
2015
as James Franco
The Night Before
2015
as Self
A Walk in Winter
2015
as Conrad
The Sound and the Fury
2015
as Benjy Compson
Queen of the Desert
2015
as Henry Cadogan
Call Me Lucky
2015
as Self
The Little Prince
2015
as The Fox (voice)
Black Dog, Red Dog
2015
as Leo
Wild Horses
2015
as Ben Briggs
Killing Animals
2015
as Mr. Hurston
True Story
2015
as Christian Longo
Every Thing Will Be Fine
2015
as Tomas Eldan
The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards
2015
as Conrad
Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special
2015
as Self
I Am Michael
2015
as Michael Glatze
Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
2015
as Pasamonte
The Interview
2014
as Dave Skylark
Future Relic 02
2014
as The Searcher
National Theatre Live: Of Mice and Men
2014
as George
Dave Skylark's Very Special VMA Special
2014
as David Skylark
Good People
2014
as Tom Reed
Third Person
2014
as Rick
Obituaries
2014
as Felix Mitchum
Behind the Scenes of Palo Alto
2014
as Self
Palo Alto
2014
as Mr. B
Child of God
2014
as Jerry
Deadbeat
2014
as Johnny
Veronica Mars
2014
as James Franco (uncredited)
Homefront
2013
as Morgan 'Gator' Bodine
Playtime
2013
as The Art Dealer
Sal
2013
as Milton Katselas
As I Lay Dying
2013
as Darl Bundren
Interior. Leather Bar.
2013
as James
Here Comes the Night Time
2013
as Man on Phone
Mademoiselle C
2013
as Self
What Is Cinema?
2013
as Self
Comedy Central Roast of James Franco
2013
as Self
A Fuller Life
2013
as Self - Reader (segment "Copy Boy")
Lovelace
2013
as Hugh Hefner
Roast of James Franco: Red Carpet Pre-Show
2013
as Self
This Is the End
2013
as James Franco
Oz the Great and Powerful
2013
as Oz
Spring Breakers
2013
as Alien
The Color of Time
2012
as C.K. Williams (age 40)
The Mindy Project
2012
as Paul Leotard
The Letter
2012
as Tyrone
The Iceman
2012
as Marty Freeman
Maladies
2012
as James
Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present
2012
as Self
The Broken Tower
2012
as Hart Crane
Hart Crane: An Exegesis
2012
as Himself
About Cherry
2012
as Francis
Honest Trailers
2012
as Cowboy (archive footage)
Eames: The Architect and the Painter
2011
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
2011
as Will Rodman
Hamish and Andy's Gap Year
2011
as Himself
Caput
2011
Your Highness
2011
as Fabious
The Green Hornet
2011
as Danny Crystal Cleer (uncredited)
14 Actors Acting
2010
as Self
127 Hours
2010
as Aron Ralston
Howl
2010
as Allen Ginsberg
Love and Distrust
2010
as Travis (segment "Grasshopper")
Eat Pray Love
2010
as David
With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story
2010
as Self
Masculinity & Me
2010
Saturday Night
2010
as Self
Shadows & Lies
2010
as William Vincent
Date Night
2010
as Taste
SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas
2009
The Room Before and After - Part 1: James Franco
2009
Erased James Franco
2009
as Self
Milk
2008
as Scott Smith
Good Time Max
2008
as Max
Nights in Rodanthe
2008
as Mark Flanner (uncredited)
Pineapple Express
2008
as Saul Silver
Camille
2008
as Silias
In the Valley of Elah
2007
as Sergeant Carnelli
An American Crime
2007
as Andy
Interview
2007
as Boyfriend on Phone (voice)
Knocked Up
2007
as Self (uncredited)
Spider-Man 3
2007
as New Goblin / Harry Osborn
Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee
2007
as Dean Silo
The Hills with James Franco and Mila Kunis
2007
as Justin Bobby
The Holiday
2006
as James Franco (uncredited)
The Dead Girl
2006
as Derek
30 Rock
2006
as James Franco
Grasshopper
2006
as Travis
Flyboys
2006
as Blaine Rawlings
The Wicker Man
2006
as Bar Guy #1
Tristan & Isolde
2006
as Tristan
Annapolis
2006
as Jake Huard
The Great Raid
2005
as Captain Prince
The Ape
2005
as Harry Walker
Fool's Gold
2005
as Brent
Spider-Man 2
2004
as Harry Osborn
The Company
2003
as Josh
Blind Spot
2003
as Danny
Sonny
2002
as Sonny
City by the Sea
2002
as Joey
Mother Ghost
2002
as Skateboarder guy
You Always Stalk the Ones You Love
2002
The Car Kid
2002
Deuces Wild
2002
as Tino
Spider-Man
2002
as Harry Osborn
Spider-Mania
2002
as Self
Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man'
2002
as Self
James Dean
2001
as James Dean
Some Body
2001
as Apartment Guy #3
Mean People Suck
2001
as Casey
At Any Cost
2000
as Mike
Whatever It Takes
2000
as Chris Campbell
If Tomorrow Comes
2000
as Devin
Freaks and Geeks
1999
as Daniel Desario
Never Been Kissed
1999
as Jason
To Serve and Protect
1999
as Matt Carr
Profiler
1996
Pacific Blue
1996
as Brian
The X-Files
1993
as Officer #2
Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde
as Fidel Castro
The Policeman
as Babcock
Me, You
The Razor's Edge
as Dante
Kill the Czar
Gli Squali
Jesse Heiman: World's Greatest Extra
as Self