Quick summary
- Seth Rogen says he has “no plans” to work with James Franco again.
- He made the comments on The New York Times podcast The Daily, according to It’s Gone Viral (IGV).
- Rogen said the personal side of the split is too private to discuss and that his public stance is unchanged.
- IGV reports the remarks followed news that Franco has joined the cast of a John Rambo project.
Seth Rogen has addressed his break with long-time collaborator James Franco, saying he has not worked with him “in a really long time” and has no plans to. The comments, reported by It’s Gone Viral on 12 November 2026, came on The Daily, the New York Times podcast.
What Rogen said about James Franco
According to IGV, Rogen was reluctant to say much. He told the podcast he was unsure how much he wanted to share and that “the nuance of it is too personal” to get into right now.
He drew a line between two sides of the situation. There is the public-facing side, which he says he has already spoken about and on which his position has not changed. Then there is the personal side, which he said involves people he does not want to drag into the conversation.
On the question of working together, he was direct. IGV quotes him as saying he has not worked with Franco in years and has no plans to, adding that “the proof is in the pudding”.
How the split began
The two were close for around two decades. IGV notes they worked together on The Interview, Pineapple Express and This Is the End, and both came up through Judd Apatow’s Freaks and Geeks.
IGV reports that Franco was cast out of Hollywood after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in 2018, including a claim from an ex-girlfriend, and that several former students later said he behaved inappropriately while teaching them. Rogen initially stood by his friend, the outlet says. By 2021 he had distanced himself and, in a statement given to The Sunday Times, said he despised abuse and harassment and would never conceal it or knowingly put anyone around someone who committed it.
Why the comments came now
The timing, per IGV, is tied to reports that Franco is returning to Hollywood by joining the cast of a John Rambo project alongside Noah Centineo and David Harbour. That casting was not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed for this article, so treat it as a report for now.
A career built on a few key partnerships
IGV also uses the moment to recap Rogen’s path. He began doing stand-up as a young teenager in Vancouver, and met filmmaker Evan Goldberg at a Bar Mitzvah prep class when he was about 12. The pair went on to write and make comedies including Superbad, Pineapple Express and Sausage Party, and worked on The Boys.
His screen break came on Freaks and Geeks, which also launched Jason Segel and Linda Cardellini. From there came Knocked Up and Superbad in 2007, then Funny People in 2009, plus dramatic turns in 50/50 and Steve Jobs.
What happens next
Rogen has not signalled any change of position, and nothing in the report suggests a reunion. Whether he says more will likely depend on how much attention Franco’s reported return draws. For more on the actor, see everything we publish about Seth Rogen and our Celebrities coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Will Seth Rogen work with James Franco again?
Rogen says he has no plans to. He told The Daily he has not worked with Franco in years, according to IGV.
Why did Seth Rogen stop working with James Franco?
Rogen has not given a full account. IGV reports the split followed misconduct allegations against Franco, and Rogen said in 2021 that he despises abuse and harassment. On the podcast he called the personal details too private to share.
Has James Franco been cast in a John Rambo project?
IGV reports he has joined the cast alongside Noah Centineo and David Harbour. This was not confirmed by a second source here.
