James Franco Returning To Acting After Being Canceled
James Franco seems to be making a comeback to acting after his sexual misconduct issues, as he has been cast as one of the leads in a new WWII period film.
It has been quite some time since James Franco was last seen on the big screen. That is because of the sexual misconduct allegations that plagued the actor. During the #MeToo movement, Franco was one of the celebrity figures that had been accused by many women of strong sexual misconduct. He was also the subject of strong controversy and sexual misconduct through his acting school, Studio 4, which has now been closed. The actor agreed to pay $2.2 million in damages in 2021 to female students that attended the school after they claimed Franco and his associates pushed the students into performing explicit sex scenes on camera. Through all that, Franco seems to have some sort of redemption, as he is set to start in a WWII period film alongside Tom Hollander and Daisy Jacob called You, Mine.
James Franco might not have seemed redeemable, but he did admit his wrongdoing when it came to the multiple women that had come forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. He released a statement regarding his school and the usage of his power as a celebrity to get women to sleep with him, though he denied that the school was meant to be used as a tool of sexual exploitation. His admittance of what transpired at the school could have been his saving grace. Most of the time, people are quick to deny their wrongdoing instead of admitting their mistakes and allowing the people involved and the world to heal from the trauma of the situation. Franco admitted his faults and that could be why he is now being cast in films.
You, Mine is a WWII period film that has been adapted from a novel called Tu, Mia by Erri De Luca. The story is set in Ischia in the 1950s. A 16-year-old sailor by the name of Marco joins hardened fisherman Nicola (James Franco) out on the seas. Nicola regales Marco with stories of fighting while he had been employed as a G.I. for the United States. Marco is on vacation with his parents, Edward is his father and played by Tom Hollander. While on vacation, Marco meets Caia (Daisy Jacob). He falls deeply in love with her and hears the story of her horrible childhood at the hands of the SS and the Nazi occupation. Marco is angered by Caia and Nicola’s stories of war, and he meets German tourists. He then plans to attack their villa to win over Caia.
The story sounds quite captivating, and Tom Hollander and Daisy Jacob are some big stars that are joining this film. For James Franco to land a big film like this after the sexual misconduct allegations, is quite a feat. To his credit, he was also one of the biggest actors before those allegations came about, and it could be that the world is set to forgive him. Well, that might be what the studio that is making You, Mine thinks. The film is currently in the pre-production stages, so we are likely not to see Franco return to acting until late 2023.
