What does James Franco’s net worth look like after abuse allegations?
James Franco has led a multi-decade career as a model, writer, teacher, and actor. By 2017, he announced he was going to slow down and focus on himself – but by 2018 a series of sexual misconduct accusations sprang up against him. At the time of the accusations, James Franco’s net worth was estimated at $30 million, according to celebritynetworth.com.
James Franco’s first foray into feasible felony
Before 2018, James Franco had already been under scrutiny for a 2014 incident in which he tried to convince a 17-year-old to meet him in a hotel room. Franco stumbled through the incident relatively unscathed, but at the 2018 Golden Globes he was called out for wearing a “Time’s Up” pin supposedly showing solidarity with the #MeToo movement.
Time’s Up for James Franco
Ally Sheedy was the first to criticise Franco’s hypocrisy when she suggested she quit acting after working with Franco. An ex-girlfriend, Violet Paley, also stepped up to accuse Franco of acting indecently towards her. Then the Los Angeles Times reported that five other women had also accused Franco of exploitative behavior while providing them with “mentorship and acting lessons”.
James Franco strikes again
In 2019 another set of accusations arose against Franco, this time from two former students of Franco’s acting school, Studio 4. The women described an environment where they were “subject to sexually exploitative auditions and film shoots”. The women alleged Franco implied possible film roles were available for those who would take off their shirts or perform sexual acts on Franco.
Now you can sue James Franco, too!
A class action lawsuit was filed in October 2019 against James Franco in response to the accusations brought against Franco’s behavior in Studio 4. Franco has denied the plaintiff’s claims through his attorney, who has recently submitted a notice of demurrer which indicated Franco isn’t opting to settle confidentially, but will attempt to prove his innocence in court.
The class action lawsuit might prove to be problematic for Franco, as the two women are actively seeking information from other former students. This could prove to be problematic for Franco since the legal fees for such a court case could easily start to balloon. Franco’s lawyer has stated that he will “not only fully defend himself, but will also seek damages from the plaintiffs and their attorneys”.
How will the claims affect James Franco’s net worth?
Studio 4 closed down in 2017; since then Franco hasn’t been involved in many new projects. His latest film Zeroville came out in the fall of 2019 but was met with bad reviews, even earning him a nomination for three Golden Raspberry Awards. With less and less new revenue coming in for Franco, we wonder how long he can continue ponying up for legal defense.
Although there are no new estimates on James Franco’s net worth, the true litmus test of his value will be proven when these accusations are resolved. From the statement that Franco’s lawyer put out, it’s clear he won’t be trying to settle this out of court. Whether he wins or loses this case, James Franco’s net worth is going to see a change – but will Franco change, too?
