Seth Rogen sidesteps James Franco question after ending friendship over sexual misconduct lawsuit

Seth Rogen isn’t interested in discussing his old pal James Franco.

The “Freaks and Geeks” alum, 42, avoided answering a question about his former frequent collaborator in his Tuesday Esquire profile, several months after Franco revealed they had ended their friendship after 20 years.

“Honestly, I absorb so little media that it really wasn’t on my radar,” Rogen said when asked what he thought of Franco’s October 2024 admission.

Seth Rogen avoided a question regarding his friendship with former pal James Franco on Tuesday. MARK SELIGER

Months after Franco revealed the pair no longer speak, Rogen told Esquire Franco’s comments weren’t “on [his] radar.” Getty Images for Moet & Chandon

In his original interview, Franco — who collaborated with Rogen on several films throughout their career, including “Pineapple Express” and “This is the End” — hinted that the end of their relationship wasn’t his doing.

“I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over, and not for lack of trying,” Franco said at the time.

Rogen’s relationship with Franco appeared to be fizzling out in 2021 when the producer-actor shared he had no plans to continue working with Franco after the “Spring Breakers” star was hit with a sexual misconduct lawsuit.

In his October 2024 interview, Franco hinted that the dissolution of his friendship with his former frequent collaborator wasn’t his fault. Darren Michaels

“I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over, and not for lack of trying,” Franco said. AP

“What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,” Rogen told the Sunday Times.

Rogen’s remarks came months after Franco settled the suit in February 2021.

Franco was faced with the sexual misconduct allegations in 2019 after several female students of his now-defunct film school accused him of sexual exploitation.

The pair’s friendship was revealed to be fractured in 2021 after Rogen said he had no plans to continue working with Franco after the actor was hit sexual misconduct allegations. WireImage

Franco faced a sexual misconduct lawsuit in 2019 after several women from his now-defunct film school accused him of sexually exploiting them. Getty Images

In their complaint, the women claimed Franco engaged in “widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students.”

Their lawsuit alleged Franco stepped outside of Hollywood’s boundaries of what would be considered acceptable on set behavior by encouraging his students to perform in increasingly explicit sex scenes on camera in an “orgy type setting.”

In light of the accusations, Franco went on a 4-year hiatus from Hollywood before making a return in Bille August’s 2022 post-World War II drama “Me, You.”

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