Early Life
 Called Ted/Teddy by his family.
Called Jim/Jimmy by his friends.
Childhood idol was Tony Hawk.
Was arrested repeatedly while still in high school ('for this and that').
Was voted 'Best Smile' at Palo Alto High School.
Destroyed his Nissan Stanza by racing it in the San Fernando Valley.
After James dropped out of UCLA, his parents stopped paying his way. He got a job at McDonalds.
To overcome his shyness, he got into acting while studying literature at UCLA, which, much to his parents' dismay, he left after only one year.
Actor
Acting teacher was Robert Carnegie.
Studies up his roles passionately with perfection.
James gave his Golden Globe award -- which he won for his portrayal of James Dean, to his mother.
Has his own production company.
Rabbit Bandini Productions.
Admires Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, and Catherine Keener.
Auditioned for the role of Peter Parker in Spider-Man (2002), but was given the part of Harry Osbourne.
Appeared in two movies that premiered on the same day, Deuces Wild (2002) and Spider-Man (2002), both opening on May 3rd.
Other
Is currently [2006] taking a History course at UCLA.
Does horse tricks.
Likes to paint.
He wooed Sokoloff by giving her his portrait of the goddess Venus.
James enjoys painting in his free time. Some of his work has been shown in galleries, such as the Glu Gallery in Los Angeles. Also, his ex-girlfriend Marla Sokoloff has some, which was still hanging in an episode of Cribs. James says that a member of the band Third Eye Blind also has some of his work.
Gave his grandmother a painting of his as a Chanukah present last year (2003).
Doesn't wear watches.
Shares a birthday with Hayden Christensen (April 19).
Was named one of People Magazine's 50 Hottest Bachelors [2004].
Was named one of Salon.com's '10 men who might just inspire the rebirth of Jewish male cool.'
If he could have any super power, it would be to become a speed reader.
Dated Marla Sokoloff (3 years), whom he met on the set of Whatever It Takes.
Offscreen, Franco is an artsy loner
By his own confession. When not in front of the camera, he has taken to writing screenplays.
He has written six scripts with Williams in the year and a half since they have been writing together. |
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