James Franco Accused of Sexual Misconduct Following Golden Globes Win
When James Franco picked up a Golden Globe award last night for his portrayal of Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist, his seeming refusal to let Wiseau himself speak wasn’t the only thing that drew criticism on social media. Franco, who wore a “Time’s Up” pin to support the protest against sexual harassment and assault, was swiftly called out for his hypocrisy on Twitter by multiple women — including actress Ally Sheedy, who previously starred opposite Franco in a 2014 off-Broadway production.
The allegations against Franco were somewhat lost in all the social media noise regarding the Golden Globes, where a speech from Oprah Winfrey and Natalie Portman’s wry call-out of the entirely male Best Director category dominated chatter on Facebook and Twitter. But the women that Franco allegedly harassed and assaulted have not forgotten their experiences with the actor and director, whose Golden Globes win for The Disaster Artist may have all but guaranteed him an Oscar nom.
After Franco took the stage to accept the award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Ally Sheedy posted a somewhat vague Twitter thread asking why he was “allowed” in to the ceremony. In a series of now-deleted tweets, Sheedy alluded to her own #metoo experience(s), calling out Franco and Christian Slater:
Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much. Nite love ya.
Ok wait. Bye. Christian Slater and James Franco at a table [at the] Golden Globes #MeToo.
James Franco just won. Please never ask me why I left the film/tv business.
Other women were not as vague. In a tweet referencing the seemingly forgotten 2014 incident in which Franco attempted to pick up a 17-year-old girl on Instagram, Violet Paley revealed additional allegations against the actor:
Actress Sarah Tither-Kaplan, who has appeared in films directed by Franco, added:
Another tweet alluded to an incident (or incidents) involving Franco’s former acting school partner:
And according to former LA Weekly writer April Wolfe, these allegations are likely the tip of the iceberg:
After her profile on Franco and The Disaster Artist was published at the end of November, Wolfe was contacted by multiple sources regarding sexual misconduct allegations against the actor and director. Since Wolfe was no longer employed by LA Weekly, she was unable to report on the allegations, but another outlet has been putting one together for some time. It’s unclear when that story is or was intended to run (and where), but given last night’s tweets and the upcoming Oscars, it seems fair to assume that the report(s) are coming sooner rather than later.
To read more about Time’s Up, and to donate to the organization’s legal defense fund for victims of sexual harassment and assault, visit the official website: www.timesupnow.com