News

On Thursday evening, backstage in a dressing room at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Peter Rowan is plucking his guitar and quietly humming to himself. With less than an hour before showtime, the singer-songwriter will soon celebrate a band he created more than a half-century ago, one whose influence continues to loom large over bluegrass music — Old & In the Way.

“A lot of people who’ve picked up on Old & In the Way have gone deeper into the Stanley Brothers, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Bill Monroe,” the 82-year-old tells Rolling Stone. “They follow the trail.

James Franco claimed he has redefined his life and priorities after sexual misconduct allegations derailed his Hollywood career.

The actor shared his journey of growth since the 2019 lawsuit and the end of his longtime friendship with Seth Rogen in an interview with Variety. The allegations, which centered around accusations by five women that Franco abused his influence as an acting teacher, led to a $2.235 million settlement in 2021 and spurred the actor to reassess his path.

“Being told you’re bad is painful,” Franco admitted, adding that this confrontation with his actions “is kind of what I needed to just stop going the way I was going.”

window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-mid', container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' });

Isolated from Hollywood during the Covid-19 lockdown, Franco, 46, found himself confronting his past behavior. “Whatever had been going on with me before, I had to change my whole way of life,...

James Franco suits up while hitting the red carpet at the 2024 Rome Film Festival held at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on Friday (October 25) in Rome, Italy.

The 46-year-old actor was in attendance to premiere his new movie Hey Joe at the annual event.

James was joined by director Claudio Giovannesi, and co-stars Francesco Di Napoli, Aniello Arena, Giada Savi and Giulia Ercolini.

The day before, James, Claudio, Giada and Francesco attended a photo call for their upcoming movie.

In a recent interview, James opened up about how Hey Joe came to be.

Keep reading to find out more…

“The movie was actually kind of a gift out of the sky. I’ve loved European cinema for a long time, and I’d seen [director Claudio Giovannesi’s] movies before this offer. And I’d met the writer, Maurizio Braucci, through another director named Pietro Marcello [Martin Eden],” James told Variety. “And then out of the blue,...

Seth Rogen and James Franco have had an iconic friendship for over 20 years. Franco and Rogen were best friends once, but unfortunately, it is now over.

James Franco and Seth Rogen in The Interview | Credits: Columbia Pictures

Although there were several factors involved with the end of their friendship, one of the most transforming changes was when Franco was involved in a se*ual misconduct in 2018.

The Friendship of James Franco and Seth Rogen

Before their fallout, the duo of Franco and Rogen was considered unbreakable. Their friendship had stood the test of time until 2018 when Franco was involved in some controversy.

James Franco (left) with Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man | Credits: Columbia Pictures

In 2014, James Franco came under heavy fire when a seventeen-year-old teenager posted screenshots of her chat with the actor. Although Franco wasn’t held for his deeds since 17 was the legal age of consent, there was a...

James Franco might be one of the first high-profile casualties of cancel culture, and well, rightfully so, and, he seems to own it now. His career took a nosedive during the peak of the #MeToo movement.

James Franco in an interview Credits: SiriusXM

But instead of wallowing in it, the Spider-Man star now expresses gratitude for that particular unexpected twist.

James Franco Is Over Hollywood and His Cancellation!

After lighting up the big screen in numerous feature films, James Franco largely vanished from the spotlight in 2019 when he faced a lawsuit over alleged misconduct involving women from his acting class. The fallout from this lawsuit, which has since been settled, cost him almost his entire career.

Related Real Reason Why James Franco and Seth Rogen Are Not Friends Anymore

In a candid moment during a 2021 interview on Jess Cagle’s podcast, Franco opened up about his past, admitting that he...

James Franco said he saw parallels with his own life in the plot of new film Hey Joe, which is world premiering in competition at the Rome Film Festival.

The 1970s-set drama sees Franco play an alcoholic former American sailor who returns to Naples to reconnect with the son he left behind at the end of the Second World War.

The Italian production is directed by Claudio Giovannesi, with Vision Distribution International handling international sales.

Franco had a high-profile fall from grace following a lawsuit that accused him of having sex with students from his acting school, which was settled...

James Franco said he saw parallels with his own life in the plot of new film Hey Joe, which is world premiering in competition at the Rome Film Festival.

The 1970s-set drama sees Franco play an alcoholic former American sailor who returns to Naples to reconnect with the son he left behind at the end of the Second World War.

The Italian production is directed by Claudio Giovannesi, with Vision Distribution International handling international sales.

Franco had a high-profile fall from grace following a lawsuit that accused him of having sex with students from his acting school, which was settled...

James Franco confirmed he still has not spoken with Seth Rogen since their relationship fell apart after Franco was accused of sexual misconduct.

Franco briefly discussed his erstwhile friendship/collaborative partnership with Rogen, as well the years since his “cancellation,” in a new interview with Variety centered around his new movie, Hey Joe.

“I haven’t talked to Seth,” he said. “I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over. And not for lack of trying. I’ve told him how much he’s meant to me.

James Franco was once hailed as one of the most promising talents, but his journey took a turbulent turn following allegations that dramatically shifted the trajectory of his career. Now, as Franco re-emerges into the public eye, he finds himself grappling with not only the remnants of his past but also new opportunities that challenge him creatively and personally.

James Franco | The Howard Stern Radio Show/YouTube

Amidst the backdrop of film festivals and indie projects, he reflected on redemption, resilience, and the unexpected paths that lead to personal growth. With a blend of candidness and introspection, Franco opened up about his latest projects.

Alina of Cuba: James Franco’s Uncertain Journey James Franco in Rise of the Planet of the Apes | 20th Century Studios

James Franco’s recent foray into acting has been anything but conventional, and while attending the Rome Film Festival for the launch of Italian director Claudio Giovannesi’s Hey Joe,...

It's been almost exactly five years since James Franco was sued by two former students of his acting school, who accused him and his partners of sexually exploitative behaviors toward the students in their charge. Franco settled the suit (for more than $2 million dollars) in 2021, but by then his reputation had nose-dived,...

James Franco had a diverse portfolio of roles and was a part of some of the most highly acclaimed projects in the industry. However, a controversy that stirred up the entire movie industry led to the actor being blacklisted. But while Franco was shunned in Hollywood, like many other actors, he is all set to make a comeback through European cinema.

James Franco in Homefront | Credits: Open Road Films

The actor followed the likes of Hollywood A-listers like Kevin Spacey and Johnny Depp, who faced major backlash when their respective controversies came out in the open. In a recent interview, Franco talked more about the new movie and his role.

James Franco All Set to Make a Comeback With Hey Joe

In recent years, James Franco has been the talk of the town, but mostly for all the wrong reasons. The actor was recently spotted in Rome for the launch...

James Franco has indicated that his long-standing friendship with fellow actor Seth Rogen may be over. During an interview with Variety at the Rome Film Festival, where he was promoting his new film, Hey Joe, Franco revealed that he and Rogen, who is 42, are currently out of touch. “I haven’t talked to Seth. I love Seth; we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over,” Franco said…

Source...

James Franco met the press in Rome on Friday to discuss his new film Hey Joe, which had its world premiere at the Rome Film Festival. While discussing the film, in which he plays a WWII vet who returns to Naples 25 years after finding out he has a son there, the actor drew parallels to his own life.

“My character is a man who wasted his own life,” said Franco. “He catches the occasion to do something positive. That was the same for me as a person. I changed my way of seeing things. I understood that what I really wanted to obtain from success was an actual bond with other people, a spiritual growth. That’s what could give a meaning to my life.”

In 2018, five women accused Franco of sexual misconduct. A class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles in 2019 claimed he misused his position, offering acting opportunities in exchange for favors.

James Franco is tucked away in the corner of a five-star hotel lobby on Rome’s Via Veneto, sipping an Americano coffee. Wearing a chocolate brown hoodie he proudly says he co-designed, the actor and filmmaker looks relaxed and flashes his signature smile.

He’s in the Eternal City for the Rome Film Festival launch of Italian director Claudio Giovannesi’s “Hey Joe.” In the gritty drama, Franco plays Dean, an alcoholic American WWII vet who winds up back in Naples in the early ’70s in search of a son he fathered there before absconding to New Jersey.

The film is his first to surface on the fest circuit since his career went on hiatus following a now-settled 2019 lawsuit alleging that he sexually exploited young women who took his acting class. As he sips his coffee, Franco and I agree that his character is looking for redemption. Could the same be said of Franco?...

“Hey Joe,” a drama in which James Franco plays a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in post-World War II Naples, will world premiere at the Rome Film Festival next month.

The gritty film, directed by Claudio Giovannesi, is produced by Italy’s Palomar in tandem with Rai Cinema and Vision Distribution, which will release the film in Italy. Vision Distribution International is handling international sales.

In “Hey Joe,” Franco plays Dean Barry, an American sailor who in 1944, at age 23, disembarks in war-torn Naples. He falls in love with a young, very poor, local woman named Lucia. A couple of years later, Dean is forced to leave Lucia, alone and pregnant, to go back to New Jersey. He eventually returns to Naples to find the woman and her son, Enzo — but the city has changed a lot and Dean must navigate these challenges leading up to a surprise finale. Franco speaks both...

Jack Antonoff‘s band Bleachers is releasing new music and fans can’t get over the title of one track, which they think could be about Joe Alwyn.

Coincidentally, Jack revealed the track list and song titles seemingly at the same time as he was attending the same exact event as Joe!

The guys were both spotted walking the red carpet at the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Awards on Wednesday night (November 15) at the Royal Opera House in London, England.

So, what are fans saying?

Keep reading to find out more…

As you probably know already, Jack is Taylor Swift‘s longtime producing partner and she even attended his wedding over the summer. They’re very close friends! So fans immediately were shook over the title of the song “Hey Joe” as they believe it could be about Alwyn, who is Taylor‘s ex-boyfriend.

The new album isn’t...

Bleachers have announced their upcoming fourth studio album, Bleachers, out March 8th via Dirty Hit. As the latest preview, Jack Antonoff’s band has shared the new single, “Alma Mater,” featuring vocals from his frequent collaborator Lana Del Rey.

Spanning 14 tracks, Bleachers is described in a press release as “Antonoff’s distinctly New Jersey take on the bizarre sensory contradictions of modern life, on his position in culture, and on the things he cares about.” It’s also said to be the perfect music for “driving on the highway to, for crying to, and for dancing to at weddings.”

Indeed, “Alma Mater” features Antonoff’s signature ’80s sound and nostalgic lyrics, with Del Rey providing backing vocals for lines like, “Well, summer’s gettin’ hotter/ Threw her T-shirt down the pike/ Screamin’, ‘Fuck Balenciaga’/ Right past the Wawa.” Stream the track below.

Bleachers have a few festival dates remaining in...

Jack Antonoff’s New Jersey dreamworld is taking shape as Bleachers gears up for the release of their self-titled fourth studio album on March 8. The announcement of the album has been accompanied by the arrival of its second single, “Alma Mater,” a smoldering record featuring guest vocals from Lana Del Rey.

The hyper-sensory song positions Antonoff at its center while its instrumentals circle around him. “Some dreams I wake up thinking, some dreams are meant to die,” he ponders. “Kills your idol in the street outside in daylight.”

“Alma Mater...

James Franco will play a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in post-World War II Naples, where he fathers a child, in gritty Italian drama “Hey Joe.” Directed by Claudio Giovannesi, the film is now shooting in the southern port city.

Franco, who has recently been taking roles outside the U.S. following a now-settled 2019 lawsuit alleging that he sexually exploited young women who took his acting class, will be speaking both English and Italian to play the lead in “Hey Joe,” said producer Carlo Degli Esposti, head of Italy’s prominent Palomar shingle. Degli Esposti added that Palomar got a waiver from SAG-AFTRA for Franco to work on the film “since we are an indie production.”

In “Hey Joe,” Franco plays Dean Barry, an American sailor who in 1944, at age 23, disembarks in Naples which has been destroyed by bombing. He falls in love with a young, very poor, local woman named Lucia.