• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
Home Lifestyle

Two women accuse actor James Franco of sexual exploitation

4 October 2019, 9:46 AM  |
Reuters Reuters |  @SABCNews
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accused the 41-year-old, Oscar-nominated actor, currently starring in the HBO television series “The Deuce,” of exploiting aspiring actors at his now-defunct school

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accused the 41-year-old, Oscar-nominated actor, currently starring in the HBO television series “The Deuce,” of exploiting aspiring actors at his now-defunct school

Image: File: Reuters

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accused the 41-year-old, Oscar-nominated actor, currently starring in the HBO television series “The Deuce,” of exploiting aspiring actors at his now-defunct school

Two women filed a civil lawsuit against Hollywood actor James Franco on Thursday, accusing him of running a bogus film school where young women eager to advance their acting careers were duped into auditioning nude or shooting explicit sex scenes.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accused the 41-year-old, Oscar-nominated actor, currently starring in the HBO television series “The Deuce,” of exploiting aspiring actors at his now-defunct school.

Franco’s attorney, Michael Plonsker, said in a statement that his client had not been served by the lawsuit, which he called “ill-informed.”

“James will not only fully defend himself, but will also seek damages from the plaintiffs and their attorneys for filing this scurrilous publicity-seeking lawsuit,” Plonsker said.

According to the lawsuit, the two women, actresses Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, said they enrolled in Franco’s film school in 2014. They accused Franco and two other men associated with his production company and school of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, fraud, and other wrongdoing.

Franco and his colleagues were “dangling the opportunity to aspiring actors of employment in film and television,” the lawsuit stated.

“Franco’s targets were even duped to pay for their exploitation through a fraudulent ‘acting school’ (Studio 4) designed to benefit Franco and his production companies wherein employment opportunities for women supposedly increased when they agreed to overt sexual acts, nudity and performing in sex scenes – often in an orgy typesetting,” the lawsuit said.

Students were encouraged to pay $750 to join a sex scenes master class at the school and had to audition nude or partially nude, the lawsuit said.

After completing the class, Tither-Kaplan was offered a role in a project in which Franco appeared in an orgy scene with women. He removed plastic guards covering actresses’ vaginas while simulating oral sex, the suit said.

The lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of other women who attended the school and seeks unspecified monetary damages.

The lawsuit also cited a comment made by Franco in early January 2018 in an appearance on Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” days after he faced accusations of sexual misconduct on Twitter. He was asked on the show to comment on accusations made against him on social media.

The lawsuit, cited his comment, “If I have done something wrong, I will fix it. I have to.” The lawsuit said that Franco and others had “committed egregious wrongs” to student actors and had “done nothing to fix these wrongs.”

Franco’s best-known films include “127 hours,” “Spider-Man” and “The Disaster Artist.” At the Golden Globes ceremony on January 7, 2018, Franco wore a Time’s Up movement pin supporting victims of sexual harassment.

Share article
Tags: Sexual ExploitationMichael PlonskerJames Franco
Previous Post

Gunmen kidnap six schoolgirls in Nigeria

Next Post

Australia’s Prime Minister echoes Trump with call to reject globalism

Related Posts

SAPS Awards

Excellence awarded at an SAPS ceremony

29 January 2023, 5:40 PM
Models present creations at the Gucci Fall/Winter 2023/2024 menswear show in Milan, Italy January 13, 2023.

Gucci names De Sarno as creative director with the task of reviving the brand

28 January 2023, 10:01 PM
Cast member Andrea Riseborough arrives at the premiere for 'Matilda the Musical' in London, Britain, November 21, 2022.

Film academy reviewing Oscar campaigns after surprise nomination

28 January 2023, 5:05 PM
[File photo] A Gucci sign is seen outside a shop in Paris, France, January 27, 2023.

Kering appoints De Sarno as Gucci creative director

28 January 2023, 1:09 PM
FILE PHOTO: Institute of Political Studies (IEP) or "Sciences Po" main entrance at the Institute in Paris, France, May 28, 2013. Picture taken May 28, 2013. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

Top French university bans use of ChatGPT to prevent plagiarism

27 January 2023, 9:22 PM

VIDEO | 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day celebrates its 9th anniversary

27 January 2023, 6:40 PM
Next Post
Morrison's backing of signature Trump policies comes days after he was drawn into controversy over a damaging report into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election

Australia's Prime Minister echoes Trump with call to reject globalism

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Gas leak shut, isolated in Pretoria North
  • Limpopo man arrested after discovery of his wife’s body in water-filled pit toilet
  • Residents shut down Komani over power woes
  • ANC slams DA’s march to Luthuli House
  • EFF cuts ties with IFP in KwaZulu-Natal
  • Parts of the Northern Cape to be exempted from rolling blackouts
  • VIDEO | St Benedict College’s Matric learner gets 11 distinctions
  • Limpopo matriculant from child-headed household attains diploma pass
  • Female circumcision practice thriving in Eastern Cape
  • Premier denies claims that KZN government spent millions on Mampintsha’s funeral
  • Cele reacts to arrest of police mom charged with rape of her child
  • Malema threatens nationwide shutdown over power crisis, demands Ramaphosa resign
  • Sanco KZN conference legitimacy challenged
  • GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Psychiatric patient in Limpopo found dead
  • EFF seeks private prosecution of Mantashe regarding security upgrades at his properties

LATEST

A gavel and a block is pictured on the judge's bench in this illustration picture.
  • South Africa

Pastor Zondo rape trial back in court on Monday


The high levels of loadshedding have sharply divided the country along party-political lines.
  • Politics

ANC aims to end rolling blackouts as EFF announces plans to bring country to a standstill


Gavel seen in a courtroom
  • South Africa

Several rapists sentenced in Northern Cape


A candle is used during load shedding in South Africa.
  • Business

Eskom ramps up rolling blackouts to Stage 4 until further notice


Fikile Mbalula
  • Politics

ANC aims to end rolling blackouts by end of the year


Chairperson of the African National Congress, Gwede Mantashe.
  • Politics

EFF seeks private prosecution of Mantashe regarding security upgrades at his properties


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2022

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2022

Previous Gunmen kidnap six schoolgirls in Nigeria
Next Australia’s Prime Minister echoes Trump with call to reject globalism