James Franco has been a Hollywood mainstay for over two decades now, starring in television cult classics and big hits like Freaks and Geeks, Pineapple Express, and Spider-Man. However, it turns out James isn’t the only one of the Franco clan who’s managed to make it in the creative world, with his two younger brothers both having well-established careers of their own. If you’ve ever been curious about James Franco’s family and what they’re famous for, then read ahead to find out how many Franco brothers there are.
Who is James Franco?
Known for his great range and immersing himself in roles (while playing the iconic James Dean he allegedly took up smoking for the role, choking down two packs a day by the time they got round to filming), James Franco has starred in massive blockbusters, quirky passion projects, and comedy classics. Like many actors, Franco began his career appearing in commercials, but soon snagged a role in the cult classic television series Freaks and Geeks. His career wasn’t the only one to get a boost from the underrated show as he appeared alongside an incredible cast that included future stars Busy Philipps, Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini, Martin Starr, and Jason Segel. Two years later, his performance as James Dean earned him a Golden Globe, sealing his reputation as an up-and-comer.
From there, Franco’s career went from strength to strength. He appeared in the Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man series, Knocked Up, Milk, and a slew of other hits that continued to raise his profile. In 2010 he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in 127 Hours, and four years later he earned another nomination — this time for Best Supporting Actor — thanks to his work in Harmony Korine’s indie hit Spring Breakers. During this time he also produced a string of excellent theater performances in a Broadway production of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, where he played George. Franco has also carved out a perception of himself as somewhat of a renaissance man, producing short stories, directing his own projects, and even hosting the Oscars alongside Anne Hathaway
However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Franco. He’s also been accused of using his power as an acting coach and big name to coerce women into sexual acts, although he and his legal team have denied all charges. In 2021 he did admit to having consensual sex with some of his students, and said he has been in rehab for sex addiction since 2016. After a long hiatus, Franco has recently been cast as Fidel Castro in the upcoming film Alina in Cuba.
How many brothers does James Franco have?
James Franco is the oldest of three brothers. His siblings are Tom and Dave Franco, who are both also active in Hollywood. Their mother, Betsy Lou, is a children’s book author with some acting credits to her name, and their father, Douglas, is a businessman who worked in Silicon Valley. The family has many other creative roots, with Douglas’s mother Marjorie having a career as a successful YA author, while Betsy Lou’s mother Mitzie owned the Verne Art Gallery, Los Angeles’s premiere destination for Japanese art.
Despite acting not playing a massive part in their childhood, all three Franco boys have worked as actors and remain active in the film, television, and theater industries. They grew up in Palo Alto in a comfortable middle class home. Although their mother is Jewish, James Franco revealed in a 2009 interview their home was a secular one. While James was the first to jump into acting, Dave and Tom both soon followed. James is the eldest brother and was born in 1978. Tom was born two years later in 1980, and Dave half a decade after that in 1985.
Who is Tom Franco?
Tom Franco is the middle Franco brother. He began his acting career at age 10 with a small part in the 1990 comedy horror Basket Case 2, but since then has only acted sporadically. Franco spends most of his time on Berkeley’s Firehouse Art Collective, where he’s a co-director. The collective is a community based project that seeks to give artists the space to produce content, and believes in interdisciplinary work and the powers of collaboration. Franco shared his directorship of the collection with his wife Julia Lazar Franco until she sadly passed away in 2014.
The Firehouse Art Collective currently has five locations spread across Berkeley, offering everything from studio space to music rehearsal rooms. They also run regular artsy events for people of all ages, including free group music lessons for children and gallery shows for local artists. Franco last acted in the horror film Miracle Valley, where he had a small part as a cult member, although his biggest role was probably alongside his brothers in the 2017 film adaptation of The Disaster Artist, based on the book of the same name about the infamous hate-watch classic, The Room.
Who is Dave Franco?
The youngest of the three Franco brothers, Dave Franco is an established actor in his own right. Originally, he wanted to be a high school teacher, but while he was a sophomore at the University of Southern California he was persuaded to get into acting by James’ manager.
Franco’s first big break came in 2006 when he was given a role in the CW drama 7th Heaven, and within a year he produced an acclaimed performance in the iconic 2007 high school comedy Superbad. In 2009 he was given a major role in the ninth season of Scrubs, and while his performance earned great reviews, the show was ultimately cancelled.
Franco’s profile rose into the stratosphere in the 2010s, when he worked on a string of blockbuster hits like 21 Jump Street, Now You See Me, and The Lego Movie. In the first half of the decade he was also a regular in the web comedy series Funny or Die, usually playing himself. In 2020 he wrote, directed, and produced the horror film The Rental to generally positive reviews.
Franco is married to former Community star Alison Brie. They met in 2012 and in 2017, a spokesperson confirmed they had been married in a small, private ceremony. In 2023, he is due to see the release of Somebody I Used to Know, which Franco co-wrote and directed. The romantic comedy stars his wife and Insecure actor Jay Ellis.