James Franco Acting Student Not Buying His Apologies

[Teletubby 150,130]

James Franco has admitted he slept with students at his acting school and 'cheated on everyone' he dated during a 20-year battle with 'sex addiction.'

The actor was speaking for the first time since being accused of sexual misconduct by 5 women, 4 of his ex-students and 1 who said he was her mentor, in January 2018.
The 43-year-old agreed to pay $2.2m (£1.6m) in July after being sued for engaging in "sexually-charged behaviour towards female students".

Speaking on the SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Podcast, he said that while teaching, he "did sleep with students, and that was wrong".

He also admitted he could 'never be faithful to anybody' before meeting Isabel Pakzad who he has been dating since November 2017.

Franco blamed his infidelities and inappropriate behavior on a sex addiction he has suffered from since giving up alcohol as a teenager. 
source

https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1473922095176466432

 

James Franco Acting Student Not Buying His Apologies

James Franco said on the SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Podcast: “There were people that were upset with me and I needed to listen,”
“The natural human instinct is to just make it stop. You just want to get out in front of it and whatever you have to do, apologize, get it done. But what that doesn’t do is allow you to do the work, and to look at what was underneath… There’s probably an iceberg underneath — of behavior, of patterning, of just being blind to yourself that isn’t gonna just be solved overnight. So I’ve just been doing a lot of work.”

Back in 2018, 5 women accused Franco of “inappropriate or sexually exploitative” behavior, primarily when he was an acting teacher at Playhouse West and the now-closed film school he founded, Studio 4.
The following year, 2 former Studio 4 students, Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaall, sued Franco, alleging he sexually exploited them; a settlement was reached in February 2021 and it was later reported that Franco would pay $2,235,000 to those involved in the class-action suit.
He was accused of making prospective students enroll in said class and film videotaped auditions with the understanding that Franco would remain in possession of the tapes; the students also had to sign away their rights to the recordings.
 

Tither-Kaplan tweeted Wednesday, seemingly addressing Franco’s interview:

source

[ItWasntLaauv 6,392]

It is pretty unethical, but what’s done is done. It’s good that he’s being open about his missteps when it comes to this, I hope he’s learned from this situation.

[Kimmo 80,775]

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?
 

As bad as it sounds, if my boss flirts with me and I give in then is also my fault, after all I work with him, I know the situation and I know who he is… just like the adult students knew who James was… now live and learn! But some people love quick money and lawsuits 

[Bradley 59,196]

3 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?
 

As bad as it sounds, if my boss flirts with me and I give in then is also my fault, after all I work with him, I know the situation and I know who he is… just like the adult students knew who James was… now live and learn! But some people love quick money and lawsuits 

I think we can make a defense for both parties.

In the women's defence, power dynamics do exist between him as a teacher and them being in a subordinate position as students.

That said, if they did provide consent, or at least were confused themselves so as to give off the impression of having given consent, then it would be unfair to blame Franco solely.

 

So I believe it's wise to evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis.

[TSUNAMI 21,021]

Just now, Bradley said:

I think we can make a defense for both parties.

In the women's defence, power dynamics do exist between him as a teacher and them being in a subordinate position as students.

That said, if they did provide consent, or at least were confused themselves so as to give off the impression of having given consent, then it would be unfair to blame Franco solely.

 

So I believe it's wise to evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis.

When someone is using their superior position that's a predatory behavior. 

[Bradley 59,196]

2 minutes ago, TSUNAMI said:

When someone is using their superior position that's a predatory behavior. 

Is that not what I said?

[OMonster 14,675]

It's not always 'predatory' for a person in a position of power to have sex with someone who isn't. 

Are powerful people only allowed to have sex with powerful people? 

Sorry but a lot of people would actively seek out sexual relations with someone rich and famous. 

I do believe the media narrative about Me Too and what not has made people reflect on their sexual experiences and attach meaning to it that was never there. I don't know what happened with James Franco but generally I think people are equating predatory behaviour with consensual sex with unbalanced power dynamics, which it isn't.

[Economy 49,905]

9 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?
 

As bad as it sounds, if my boss flirts with me and I give in then is also my fault, after all I work with him, I know the situation and I know who he is… just like the adult students knew who James was… now live and learn! But some people love quick money and lawsuits 

This is one of those situations gets a bit more morally grey and not so black and white. Its neither a good thing but its also not the worst crime ever

 

Id say its highly inapropriate, unproffesional and unethical. Not a crime against any law (that i know of) and not really rape of consentual so not something to prosecute for. 

 

But id definitely look down on it still

 

Good hes being open about it tho and trying to move forward

[Economy 49,905]

2 minutes ago, OMonster said:

It's not always 'predatory' for a person in a position of power to have sex with someone who isn't. 

Are powerful people only allowed to have sex with powerful people? 

Sorry but a lot of people would actively seek out sexual relations with someone rich and famous. 

I do believe the media narrative about Me Too and what not has made people reflect on their sexual experiences and attach meaning to it that was never there. I don't know what happened with James Franco but generally I think people are equating predatory behaviour with consensual sex with unbalanced power dynamics, which it isn't.

I mostly agree with u exept when the ppl are directly under u i still find it highly unproffesional and yes borderline predatory given the power imbalance. Im not equating it to rape but i think its still inapropriate

 

Of course ppl in power can have sex with ppl who dont have power. It just doesnt have to be ppl directly under u tho

 

Again, this isnt some awful crime id seek to cancel him over but id still look down on it regardless

[Teletubby 150,130]

12 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?

Franco removed protective plastic guards covering other actresses’ vaginas while simulating o*** sex on them.

Katie Ryan, who met Franco at Playhouse West and took several classes at Studio 4, said the actor “would always make everybody think there were possible roles on the table if we were to perform sexual acts or take off our shirts" in his projects. She said that for years, she received mass email requests from Franco to audition for roles playing "a prostitute or a hooker."

Franco became angry when no women, while at the shoot, would agree to be topless.

https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-james-franco-allegations-20180111-htmlstory.html

[pedrohemg 7,802]

This kinda "news" is bad for actual victims of predatory men. This isn't the case of James. We're getting to a point where people are starting to question the legitimacy of those allegations. And maybe, one day, a woman will be telling the truth, and most people won't care.

[MelbHawker 6,583]

I’m glad he addressed it all.. he’s clearly been working on himself & I think there’s genuine sincerity in his voice. Doesn’t & will never excuse his wrong doings, but I’m not into this whole ‘cancel culture’ thing in situations like this one. 

[elijahfan 26,311]

43 minutes ago, OMonster said:

It's not always 'predatory' for a person in a position of power to have sex with someone who isn't. 

Are powerful people only allowed to have sex with powerful people? 

Sorry but a lot of people would actively seek out sexual relations with someone rich and famous. 

I do believe the media narrative about Me Too and what not has made people reflect on their sexual experiences and attach meaning to it that was never there. I don't know what happened with James Franco but generally I think people are equating predatory behaviour with consensual sex with unbalanced power dynamics, which it isn't.

Well said. It's good that he's admitting that he had a sex-related problem and hurt people along the way, but if the relationships were consensual, this is not a #MeToo problem. I'd be the fist to admit that I'd gladly have engaged in sexual relationships with him had the opportunity arisen  Being a sexual predator is one thing, being a d!ck is another, and I feel like James was more in the latter category.

[ANVEEROY 61,254]

58 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?
 

As bad as it sounds, if my boss flirts with me and I give in then is also my fault, after all I work with him, I know the situation and I know who he is… just like the adult students knew who James was… now live and learn! But some people love quick money and lawsuits 

Omg, Kimmo, just no.

[Serial Chiller 8,044]

58 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Im so troubled about this, I mean rape is one thing but the students were over 18 and he had sex with consent. Unethical? Yes 

Is just hypocritical of you to think that because a guy flirted with you, you flirt back then they take you to bed with your permission, he is now the bad guy?
 

As bad as it sounds, if my boss flirts with me and I give in then is also my fault, after all I work with him, I know the situation and I know who he is… just like the adult students knew who James was… now live and learn! But some people love quick money and lawsuits 

It's not... as simple as that.

This is textbook quid pro quo. The superior in a professional relationship must NEVER make sexual advances toward their subordinate/student/mentee because at best it's a violation of professional conduct and at worst it's sexual harassment. 

Making sexual advances in a position of power IS abuse, because it forces the victim into a dilemma where rejecting the advance may jeopardize their professional relationship. 

People who are sincerely attracted to each other would find a way to sever the superior/subordinate tie before starting a sexual/romantic relationship.