James Franco—who was formerly regarded by many as a competent and highly capable Hollywood actor—became embroiled in scandals that permanently altered the perception his fans and the rest of the industry had about the star. Most frequently known for his portrayal of Harry Osborn in the Sam Raimi-helmed Spider-Man films, Franco garnered considerable worldwide condemnation following several s*xual misconduct accusations.
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The timeline of events can be traced back to a much-publicized incident where a seventeen-year-old girl was approached by the actor on Instagram. Screenshots detailing the occurrence pointed at Franco, who was 35 at the time, suggesting a hookup with the Scottish teenager who came to New York as a tourist. This controversial Instagram scandal was later addressed by the 127 Hours alum during his appearance on Live! With Kelly and Michael.
James Franco Attempted To Hook Up With A 17-Year-Old
The year was 2014. Fans of James Franco were blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. And then, came April. In a private conversation that occurred on Instagram and was subsequently posted for the rest of the world to see, people witnessed the then-Hollywood darling attempting to make a move on 17-year-old Scottish student, Lucy Clode. How did things escalate to this point? According to certain reports, Clode presumably watched Franco perform in Of Mice and Men on Broadway during her birthday trip to New York. Afterward, the young girl met the star outside the Longacre Theatre where she took an Instagram video with him.
According to E! Online, the Spider-Man alum had requested the following from the teenager, “You gotta tag me.”
Later, a conversation started between the two on the platform, where James Franco started asking the 17-year-old several questions—with each text growing increasingly suggestive. While many were quick to call this encounter a hoax, the exchange in the screen grabs showed Franco proving his identity with photo evidence. Following is a list of the queries Lucy Clode was presented with:
“Where do you live? How long will you be in New York? You’re 18? Who are you with? Do you have a boyfriend? When is your birthday? Where are you staying? What’s your #?”
The next couple of screenshots displayed that James Franco had begun communicating with the teenager through text messages. Here, the actor put forth his demand of wanting to see the Scottish student. Clode exhibited skepticism over whether or not the one texting her was the actor himself. The Why Him? alum affirmed, “I am.” He then proceeded to ask her the following:
“You’re single? What’s the hotel? Should I rent a room?”
When the Scottish teen’s hesitance persisted, the actor ended up sending her two selfies of himself as proof of his identity. At her request, one of these pictures had James Franco holding up a piece of paper with ‘Lucy’ written on it. The conversation seemed to have concluded at this point, with the 17-year-old stating just a few messages back, “I’ll come back when I’m 18.”
When this incident garnered online traction, Franco stated the following to address the issue:
“I HOPE PARENTS KEEP THEIR TEENS AWAY FROM ME. Thank you.”
While many were disturbed by the exchange (in light of the age difference that existed between the two), others resorted to a more distrustful approach. Many alleged that the screenshots were fake, simply doctored. Some, on the other hand, said that the incident was a well-planned marketing ploy for the actor’s then-upcoming movie, Palo Alto. However, the actor himself admitted to the act in an appearance on Live! With Kelly and Michael.
James Franco Addressed The Instagram Controversy
Due to New York’s age of consent being seventeen, his acts were deemed legal; yet, the conversation’s repulsive nature deeply upset fans and the general public. In an attempt at what we can assume was damage control, Franco stated the following about the contentious matter on Live! With Kelly and Michael:
“I’m embarrassed, and I guess I’m just a model of how social media is tricky. It’s a way people meet each other today, but what I’ve learned is you don’t know who’s on the other end. I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson. In my position, not only do I have to go through the embarrassing rituals of meeting someone, but sometimes it gets published for the world.”
Since this incident in 2014, numerous women have come forward with serious s*xual misconduct allegations against the Hollywood actor. Franco has denied all of these accusations. Much recently, in 2021, the actor spoke up about engaging in consensual s*xual relationships with his former students. Additionally, the star of The Deuce revealed that he has been receiving treatment for s*xual addiction since 2016. The actor’s alleged actions over the years have led many fans to grow wary. It remains to be seen how the world would react to his rumored comeback given that his reputation is tainted.
Source: E! News
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