James Franco faces sexual misconduct allegations after ‘removing plastic guards from actresses’ vaginas while simulating oral sex’
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 12: Actor James Franco attends Coach Spring 2019 fashion show during New York Fashion Week at Basketball City – Pier 36 – South Street on September 12, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Coach)
Five women have accused James Franco of sexual misconduct or inappropriate behaviour.
The women, who consist of Franco’s former students as well as an actress who was mentored by the actor have come forward to share their experiences after they saw an actor wear a Time’s Up pin at the Golden Globes.
The pin was worn by actors who support Hollywood’s sexual harassment initiative Time’s Up, which is designed to pool funds together for those affected by harassment inside and outside of the industry.
Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, former student Sarah Tither-Kaplan said that there was an “abuse of power” when it came to Franco’s actions.
“I feel there was an abuse of power, and there was a culture of exploiting non-celebrity women, and a culture of women being replaceable,” said Tither-Kaplan.
Tither-Kaplan said that when she filmed a nude orgy scene with Franco, he removed protective plastic guards covering other actresses’ vaginas while simulating oral sex on them.
She alledged that she later discovered images from the class on a pornography site, which was done without her consent.
“Now, if you Google me, you can see me naked,” said Tither-Kaplan, 26.
“Before I’ve ever been on TV or before I’ve ever had any real credits or before any of this — of course I regret that. I don’t want that.”
Hey James Franco, nice #timesup pin at the #GoldenGlobes , remember a few weeks ago when you told me the full nudity you had me do in two of your movies for $100/day wasn't exploitative because I signed a contract to do it? Times up on that!
— Sarah Tither-Kaplan? (@sarahtk) January 8, 2018
Two other former student actresses, Hilary Dusome and Natalie Chmiel, said that Franco had become angry during a photo shoot when they refused to remove their shirts and to expose their breasts.
These are not the first allegations against the actor. In 2014, he used Instagram to ask a 17-year-old girl he’d met outside a New York theater if she had a boyfriend and whether she was 18.
Even when he learned she was not, he asked whether or not he should rent a hotel room and asked her to join him.
Actress Katie Ryan, who took some lessons at Franco’s acting studio, 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.
Violet Paley also alledges that Franco forced her to perform a sex act on him when she was clearly uncomfortable.
“I was talking to him, all of a sudden his penis was out,” said Paley.
“I got really nervous, and I said, ‘Can we do this later?’ He was kind of nudging my head down, and I just didn’t want him to hate me, so I did it.”
Cute #TIMESUP pin James Franco. Remember the time you pushed my head down in a car towards your exposed penis & that other time you told my friend to come to your hotel when she was 17? After you had already been caught doing that to a different 17 year old?— Violet Paley (@VioletPaley) January 8, 2018
Franco’s representatives have denied all of the mentioned charges.
