Dave Franco is a well-known actor and filmmaker who has starred in movies like 21 Jump Street, Now You See Me, Neighbors, and The Disaster Artist. But many people wonder if he is related to another famous actor and filmmaker, James Franco. The answer is yes, Dave Franco is the younger brother of James Franco, who is also an acclaimed star of movies like 127 Hours, Milk, Pineapple Express, and The Interview.
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Dave and James Franco are full brothers. They have the same mother and father, Betsy Lou and Douglas Eugene Franco. They also have another older brother, Tom Franco, who is an artist and actor. The Franco brothers were born in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.
How did Dave and James Franco start their careers?
James Franco was the first to pursue acting as a career. He dropped out of UCLA in his freshman year to study at the Playhouse West acting school in Los Angeles. He made his debut in the short-lived TV series Freaks and Geeks in 1999, and then landed his breakthrough role as James Dean in the biopic James Dean in 2001. He went on to star in movies like Spider-Man, The Disaster Artist, and The Interview. He also became a prolific filmmaker, writer, teacher, and artist. He has directed and produced over 40 films, written several books, taught at various universities, and exhibited his artworks.
Dave Franco followed his brother’s footsteps into acting, but he took a different path. He studied at the University of Southern California for two years before dropping out to focus on his acting career. He started with small roles in movies like Superbad and Charlie St. Cloud, and then appeared in TV shows like Greek, Privileged, and Scrubs. He had his film breakthrough as a supporting actor in the comedy 21 Jump Street in 2012. He then starred in movies like Fright Night, Now You See Me, Neighbors, Nerve, and The Disaster Artist. He made his directorial debut with the horror movie The Rental in 2020.
What is the relationship between Dave and James Franco?
Dave and James Franco have a close but complicated relationship. They both admire and respect each other’s work, but they also have some differences and challenges. For a long time, Dave Franco tried to distance himself from his brother’s fame and establish his own identity as an actor. He did not want to be seen as James Franco’s little brother or rely on his connections. He said in an interview: “As much as I love and respect my brother, I’ve had to distance myself from him work-wise … I think that’s a great thing, because as much as I like being associated with him, I want to have credibility and my own career.”
However, Dave Franco also acknowledged that his brother was a source of inspiration and support for him. He said: “He’s been my role model since day one … He’s someone who has literally done everything there is to do … And so anytime I feel like I’m being lazy or slacking off or not doing enough creatively or whatever it may be … I just look at him.”
The brothers eventually collaborated on the movie The Disaster Artist in 2017, which was based on the making of the cult film The Room by Tommy Wiseau. James Franco directed, co-wrote, produced, and starred as Wiseau in the movie, while Dave Franco played Greg Sestero , Wiseau’s friend and co-star. The movie was a critical and commercial success, earning several awards and nominations. The brothers said that working together on the movie was a rewarding experience that brought them closer together. James Franco said: “Before I was halfway through the book … I knew I wanted to play Tommy and I knew my brother would be perfect for Greg … we had the right dynamic.”
Dave Franco said: “It felt like the right time and the right project … It was just so special for me to be able to work with him on this level … It was just so nice to be able to share this experience with him.”
However, the brothers also faced some difficulties in their relationship after James Franco was accused of sexual misconduct by five women in 2018. The allegations tarnished James Franco’s reputation and career, and also affected Dave Franco’s public image and personal life. Dave Franco has not commented publicly on the allegations or his brother’s situation since then. He has focused on his own projects and his marriage with actress Alison Brie , whom he wed in 2017.
It is not clear if Dave and James Franco still have a close relationship or if they plan to work together again in the future. However, it is evident that they have a strong bond as brothers and as artists, and that they have influenced and inspired each other in many ways.
