Chivalry is a term related to the medieval (Middle Ages) institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. It is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love: "the source of the chivalrous idea," remarked Johan Huizinga, who devoted several chapters of ''The Waning of the Middle Ages'' to chivalry and its effects on the medieval character, "is pride aspiring to beauty, and formalized pride gives rise to a conception of honour, which is the pole of noble life."

Etymology

In English, the word is first attested in 1292, as a loan from Old French ''chevalerie'' "knighthood", an abstract noun formed in the 11th century based on ''chevalier'' "knight", ultimately from Medieval Latin ''caballārius'' "horseman"; ''cavalry'' is from the Italian form of the same word, loaned via Middle French into English around 1540.

Between the 11th century and 15th centuries medieval writers often used the word ''shivalry'', in meanings that changed over time, generally moving from the concrete meaning of "status or fee associated with military follower owning a war horse" towards the moral ideal of the Christian warrior ethos propagated in the Romance genre which became popular in the 12th century, and the ideal of courtly love propagated in the contemporary Minnesang and related genres. By the 15th century, the term had become mostly detached from its military origins, not least because the rise of infantry in the 14th century had essentially confined knightly horsemanship to the tournament grounds, and essentially expressed a literary ideal of moral and courteous behavior.

History

Origins in military ethos

Regardless of the diverse written definitions of chivalry, the medieval knightly class was adept at the art of war, trained in fighting in armor, with horses, lances, swords and shields. Knights were taught to excel in the arms, to show courage, to be gallant, loyal and to swear off cowardice and baseness.

Related to chivalry was the practice of heraldry and its elaborate rules of displaying coats of arms. When not fighting, chivalric knights typically resided in a castle or fortified house, while some knights lived in the courts of kings, dukes and other great lords. The skills of the knight carried over to peacetime activities such as the hunt and tournament.

Christianity had a modifying influence on the classical concept of heroism and virtue, nowadays identified with the virtues of chivalry. The Peace and Truce of God in the 10th century was one such example, with limits placed on knights to protect and honor the weaker members of society and also help the church maintain peace. At the same time the church became more tolerant of war in the defense of faith, espousing theories of the just war; and liturgies were introduced which blessed a knight's sword, and a bath of chivalric purification.The first noted support for chivalric vocation, or the establishment of knightly class to ensure the sanctity and legitimacy of Christianity was written in 930 by Odo, abbot of Cluny in the Vita of St. Gerald of Aurillac, which argued that the sanctity of Christ and Christian doctrine can be demonstrated through the legitimate unsheathing of the “sword against the enemy.” In the 11th century the concept of a "knight of Christ" (''miles Christi'') gained currency in France, Spain and Italy. These concepts of "religious chivalry" were further elaborated in the era of the Crusades, with the Crusades themselves often being seen as a chivalrous enterprise. Their ideas of chivalry were also further influenced by Saladin, who was viewed as a chivalrous knight by medieval Christian writers.

Medieval literature

From the 12th century onward chivalry came to be understood as a moral, religious and social code of knightly conduct. The particulars of the code varied, but codes would emphasize the virtues of courage, honor, and service. Chivalry also came to refer to an idealization of the life and manners of the knight at home in his castle and with his court.

Medieval courtly literature glorifies the valor, tactics and ideals of ancient Romans. For example the ancient hand-book of warfare written by Vegetius called ''De Re Militari'' was translated into French in the 13th century as ''L'art de chevalerie'' by Jean de Meun. Later writers also drew from Vegetius such as Honore Bonet who wrote the 14th century ''L'arbes des batailles'', which discussed the morals and laws of war. In the 15th century Christine de Pizan combined themes from Vegetius, Bonet and Frontinus in ''Livre des faits d'armes et de chevalerie''.

In the later Middle Ages, wealthy merchants strove to adopt chivalric attitudes - the sons of the bourgeoisie were educated at aristocratic courts where they were trained in the manners of the knightly class. This was a democratization of chivalry, leading to a new genre called the courtesy book, which were guides to the behavior of "gentlemen". Thus, the post-medieval gentlemanly code of the value of a man's honor, respect for women, and a concern for those less fortunate, is directly derived from earlier ideals of chivalry and historical forces which created it.

The medieval development of chivalry, with the concept of the honor of a lady and the ensuing knightly devotion to it, not only derived from the thinking about the Virgin Mary, but also contributed to it. The medieval veneration of the Virgin Mary was contrasted by the fact that ordinary women, especially those outside aristocratic circles, were looked down upon. Although women were at times viewed as the source of evil, it was Mary who as mediator to God was a source of refuge for man. The development of medieval Mariology and the changing attitudes towards women paralleled each other and can best be understood in a common context.

When examining medieval literature, chivalry can be classified into three basic but overlapping areas: # Duties to countrymen and fellow Christians: this contains virtues such as mercy, courage, valor, fairness, protection of the weak and the poor, and in the servant-hood of the knight to his lord. This also brings with it the idea of being willing to give one’s life for another’s; whether he would be giving his life for a poor man or his lord. # Duties to God: this would contain being faithful to God, protecting the innocent, being faithful to the church, being the champion of good against evil, being generous and obeying God above the feudal lord. # Duties to women: this is probably the most familiar aspect of chivalry. This would contain what is often called courtly love, the idea that the knight is to serve a lady, and after her all other ladies. Most especially in this category is a general gentleness and graciousness to all women. These three areas obviously overlap quite frequently in chivalry, and are often indistinguishable.

Different weight given to different areas produced different strands of chivalry: #warrior chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his lord, as exemplified by Sir Gawain in ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' and ''The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle'' #religious chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to protect the innocent and serve God, as exemplified by Sir Galahad or Sir Percival in the Grail legends. #courtly love chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his own lady, and after her, all ladies, as exemplified by Sir Lancelot in his love for Queen Guinevere or Sir Tristan in his love for Iseult

Late Middle Ages

Chivalry underwent a revival and elaboration of chivalric ceremonial and rules of etiquette in the fourteenth century that was examined by Johan Huizinga, in ''The Waning of the Middle Ages'' (1919, 1924), in which he dedicates a full chapter to "The idea of chivalry". In contrasting the literary standards of chivalry with the actual warfare of the age, the historian finds the imitation of an ideal past illusory; in an aristocratic culture such as Burgundy and France at the close of the Middle Ages, "to be representative of true culture means to produce by conduct, by customs, by manners, by costume, by deportment, the illusion of a heroic being, full of dignity and honour, of wisdom, and, at all events, of courtesy. ...The dream of past perfection ennobles life and its forms, fills them with beauty and fashions them anew as forms of art".

Modern debates

There are a number of questions historians debate related to chivalry. In his monumental study of Chivalry, The Broad-Stone of Honour, Kenelm Henry Digby offered the following definition: "Chivalry is only a name for that general spirit or state of mind which disposes men to heroic actions, and keeps them conversant with all that is beautiful and sublime in the intellectual and moral world." It is still debated as to what extent the exploits of notable knights and historical figures such as Saladin, Godfrey of Bouillon, William Marshal and Bertrand du Guesclin set new standards of knightly behavior, or were instead reflections of existing models of conduct. Another common debate is whether, since knights bore arms, the ranks of knights were open to anyone who had the physical requirements and skills, or restricted to only those who were born into knightly families.

Notes

See also

Bors

Bushido

Chivalric order

Chivalric romance

Courtly love

Court of Chivalry

Domnei

Don Quixote

Feliciano de Silva

Furusiyya

Jomsvikings

Nine Worthies

Pas d'Armes

Sir Lionel

Warrior code

Chinese knight-errant

Bibliography

Bouchard, Constance Brittain. ''Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France''. Cornell University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8014-8548-7

Haines, Charles Reginald. (1889). ''Christianity and Islam in Spain, A.D. 756-1031''

Keen, Maurice (1984). ''Chivalry''. ISBN 0-300-03150-5 / ISBN 0-300-10767-6 (2005 reprint)

Read, Charles Anderson (2007). ''The Cabinet Of Irish Literature; Selections From The Works Of The Chief Poets, Orators, And Prose Writers Of Ireland - Vol IV'' (Paperback)

Sweeney, James Ross (1983). "Chivalry," in ''Dictionary of the Middle Ages'' Volume III

Barber, Richard (1980). "The Reign of Chivalry"

Mills, Charles (2004). "The History of Chivalry or knighthood and its Times" Volume I-II

Keen, Maurice (1984). "Chivalry"

Prestage, Edgar (1928). "Chivalry: A Series of Studies to Illustrate Its Historical Significance and Civilizing Influence"

External links

"Chivalry", ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'', 1914.

"Chivalry", ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', full-article, newest edition.

"Chivalry during the Reign of Edward III", from Shadow Realms.

Category:Warrior code Category:Warfare of the Middle Ages Category:Middle Ages Category:Knights Category:Virtue Category:Philosophy of love

br:Marc'heg (den) bg:Кавалерство cy:Sifalri da:Ridderskab de:Ritterlichkeit et:Rüütellikkus es:Caballería medieval eo:Kavalireco fr:Chevalerie ja:騎士道 no:Ridderskap pl:Rycerstwo pt:Cavalaria medieval sq:Kalorësi simple:Chivalry sv:Ridderlighet uk:Лицарство

Coordinates	58°33′″N31°17′″N
Birth name	David Khari Webber Chappelle
Birth date	August 24, 1973
Birth place	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Medium	Stand-up, television, film
Nationality	American
Religion	Islam
Active	1987–present
Genre	Satire/political satire, improvisational comedy, observational comedy, surreal humor, sketch comedy, black comedy, blue comedy
Subject	Racism, race relations, American politics, African American culture, pop culture, recreational drug use, human sexuality, morality
Influences	Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Mel Blanc, Chris Rock
Signature	Dave Chapelle Signature.svg
Spouse	Elaine Chappelle (2001-present) 3 children
Notable work	Himself and Various in Chappelle's ShowHimself in Dave Chappelle's Block PartyAchoo in Robin Hood: Men in TightsThurgood Jenkins in Half Baked }}

David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle (; born August 24, 1973) is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films ''The Nutty Professor'', ''Con Air'', and ''Blue Streak''. His first lead role in a film was in ''Half Baked'' in 1998. In 2003, he became widely known for his popular sketch comedy television series, ''Chappelle's Show'', which ran until 2006. He is ranked forty-third in Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.

Early life

Chappelle was born in Washington D.C. His father, William David Chappelle III, was a professor at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. His mother, Yvonne (née Reed), was a professor at Howard University, Prince George's Community College, and the University of Maryland and is also a Unitarian Universalist minister. Chappelle has stated in his stand-up performances that his mother is half-white. Chappelle grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and attended Woodlin Elementary School. During young Chappelle's formative years, his comic inspiration came from various comedians, particularly Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.

After his parents separated, Chappelle stayed in Washington with his mother while spending summers with his father in Ohio. In 1991, he graduated from Washington's Duke Ellington School of the Arts where he studied theatre arts.

2003 - 2006 standup and ''Chappelle's Show''

In 2003, Chappelle debuted his own weekly sketch comedy show on Comedy Central called ''Chappelle's Show''. The show parodied many aspects of American culture including racial stereotypes, politics and pop culture. Along with comedy skits, the show also featured musical performances by mostly hip-hop and soul artists. Chappelle's pointed social and political commentary quickly helped the show garner critical and commercial success as well as controversy. Richard Pryor, one of Chappelle's comedic influences, was a fan of the show and stated that he had "passed the torch" to Chappelle. Chappelle received two Emmy nominations for the show. Additionally, the DVD set became the best-selling DVD of a television show to date, overtaking the previous best-selling, ''The Simpsons'' first season DVD. It had sold over 3 million copies. Due to the show's popularity, Comedy Central's parent company Viacom reportedly offered Chappelle a $55 million contract (giving Chappelle a share of DVD sales) to continue production of ''Chappelle's Show'' for two more years while allowing him to do side projects. Chappelle had stated that sketches are not his favorite form of comedy, and that the characteristics of the show's format were somewhat like short films.

In June 2004, based on the popularity of the "Rick James" sketch, it was announced that Chappelle was in talks to portray Rick James in a biopic from Paramount Pictures (also owned by Viacom). James's estate disagreed with the proposed comical tone of the film and put a halt to the talks.

In 2004, Chappelle recorded his second comedy special, this time airing on Showtime - ''Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth'', at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium.

Season three turbulence

In a June 2004 stand-up performance in Sacramento, California, Chappelle walked off the stage after berating his audience for constantly shouting "I'm Rick James, bitch!," which became a catchphrase from the popular "Rick James" sketch. After a few minutes, Chappelle returned and continued by saying, "The show is ruining my life." He stated that he disliked working "20 hours a day" and that the popularity of the show was making it difficult for him to continue his stand-up career, which was "the most important thing" to him. He also told the audience:

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Season 3 was scheduled to air on May 31, 2005, but in that month, Chappelle stunned fans and the entertainment industry when he abruptly left during production of the third season of ''Chappelle's Show'' and took a trip to South Africa. Chappelle has since stated that he was unhappy with the direction the show had taken.

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Return

In June 2005, Chappelle performed impromptu stand-up shows in Los Angeles. He then went on a tour that began in Newport, Kentucky, not far from his Ohio home. He also made a surprise appearance on HBO's ''Def Poetry'' where he performed two poems, titled ''Fuck Ashton Kutcher'' and ''How I Got the Lead on "Jeopardy!."'' He was interviewed for ''Inside the Actors Studio'' on December 18, 2005 at Pace University's Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts. The show premiered on February 12, 2006. Chappelle stated that the death of his father in 1998 had an impact on his decision to go to South Africa. By throwing himself into his work, he had not taken a chance to mourn his father's death. He also said the rumors that he was in drug or psychiatric treatment only persuaded him to stay in South Africa.

He continued:

Chappelle also said that he felt some of his sketches were "socially irresponsible." He singled out the "pixie sketch" in which pixies appear to people and encourage them to reinforce stereotypes of their races. In the sketch, Chappelle is wearing blackface and is dressed as a character in a minstrel show. According to Chappelle, during the filming of the sketch, a crew member was laughing in a way that made him feel uncomfortable and made him rethink the show. Chappelle said, "it was the first time I felt that someone was not laughing with me but laughing at me."

During these interviews, Chappelle did not rule out returning to ''Chappelle's Show'' to "finish what we started," but promised that he would not return without changes to the production, such as a better working environment. He also stated he would like to donate half of the DVD sales to charity. Chappelle expressed disdain at the possibility of his material from the unfinished third season being aired, saying that to do so would be "a bully move," and that he would not return to the show if Comedy Central were to air the unfinished material. On July 9, 2006, Comedy Central aired the first episode of ''Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes''. An uncensored DVD release of the episodes was made available on July 25.

2006 - ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party''

Chappelle was the star and producer of the Michel Gondry-directed documentary ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party'', which chronicles a Chappelle-hosted concert in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn on September 18, 2004. Several musical artists, including Kanye West, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez and Jill Scott are featured in the movie both performing in the concert and in conversation off-stage. The most surprising highlight of the event was the "last minute" reunion of popular '90s hip hop group The Fugees. Chappelle toured several cities in February and March 2006 to promote the film under the moniker "Block Party All-Stars featuring Dave Chappelle". Universal Pictures' genre division Rogue Pictures released the film in the United States on March 3, 2006.

2007 - present

In April 2007, Chappelle set a stand-up endurance record at the Laugh Factory Sunset Strip comedy club, beating comedian Dane Cook's record of 3 hours and 50 minutes. In December of the same year, Chappelle broke his own record with a time of 6 hours and 12 minutes. Cook took the record again in January 2008, with a time of 7 hours. On November 19, 2009 Chappelle performed at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, where it was speculated that he would aim to take back the record. However, he was disqualified according to the club owner, after he left the stage, five hours into his routine.

Chappelle again appeared on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' and in celebration of the show's 200th episode, he humorously interviewed the show's usual host, James Lipton. The episode aired on November 11, 2008.

Personal life

Chappelle lives with his wife Elaine, two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and daughter Sonal, on a farm, just outside Yellow Springs, Ohio. He also owns several houses in Xenia, Ohio. Regarding his home in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Chappelle says, "Turns out you don't need $50 million to live around these parts, just a nice smile and a kind way about you. You guys are the best neighbors ever," he stated at a blues and jazz festival in the town in mid-September 2006. "That's why I came back and that's why I'm staying."

Chappelle is a Muslim, having converted to Islam in 1998. He told ''Time Magazine'' in a May 2005 interview, "I don’t normally talk about my religion publicly because I don’t want people to associate me and my flaws with this beautiful thing. And I believe it is beautiful if you learn it the right way."

Filmography

+ Actor
! Year	! Film	! Role	Notes
1992	''Def Comedy Jam''	Himself
1993	''Robin Hood: Men in Tights''	Ahchoo
1995		Dave	One episode
1996		Reggie Warrington
1997	''Con Air''	Pinball
1998	''Half Baked''	Thurgood Jenkins / Sir Smoke-a-Lot
1998	''You've Got Mail''	Kevin Jackson
1999	''200 Cigarettes''	Disco Cabbie
1999	''Blue Streak''	Tulley
2000	''Screwed''	Rusty P. Hayes
2002	''Undercover Brother''	Conspiracy Brother
2003-2006	''Chappelle's Show''	Himself and others
2005	''Inside the Actor's Studio''	Himself
2006	''Dave Chappelle's Block Party''	Himself	Documentary
2007		Himself	Documentary
2008	''Inside the Actor's Studio''	Himself

Discography

+ Actor
! Year	! Album	! Role	Notes
2000	Killin' Them Softly	Executive Producer	TV Documentary
2004	''For What It's Worth''	Executive Producer	TV Movie/Showtime Special

References

External links

Video of Anderson Cooper 360 Interview

Fresh Air Interview in 2004

Category:1973 births Category:American Muslims Category:African American actors Category:African American comedians Category:African American television actors Category:American buskers Category:American film actors Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American television actors Category:Psychedelic drug advocates Category:American people of Ivorian descent Category:Living people Category:People from Silver Spring, Maryland Category:People from Washington, D.C. Category:People from Yellow Springs, Ohio Category:Converts to Islam from Christianity Category:African American Muslims Category:Converts to Islam Category:African American Muslims

da:Dave Chapelle de:David Chappelle es:Dave Chappelle fr:Dave Chappelle it:Dave Chappelle he:דייב שאפל nl:Dave Chappelle no:David Chappelle pl:Dave Chappelle ru:Шапелл, Дэйв sq:Dave Chappelle fi:Dave Chappelle sv:David Chappelle

Coordinates	58°33′″N31°17′″N
birthname	James Edward Franco
birth date	April 19, 1978
birth place	Palo Alto, California, U.S.
occupation	Actor, director, author, screenwriter, producer, professor, painter, pilot, model, musician
yearsactive	1997–present

James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and professor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s. Franco landed a lead part on the short-lived cult hit television program ''Freaks and Geeks'' and later achieved recognition for playing the titular character in the TV biographical film ''James Dean'' (2001), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe Award. He achieved international fame with his portrayals of Harry Osborn in Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Man'' trilogy.

Franco is critically acclaimed as an actor. He has done both dramatic and comedic work in projects and has appeared in an eclectic range of projects since the 2000s, ranging from period to contemporary pieces, and from major Hollywood productions to less publicized indie films, as well as fantasy movies to biopics and soap operas. Other notable films include ''Pineapple Express'', a stoner comedy that earned him his second Golden Globes nomination, the Harvey Milk-biopic ''Milk'' (both 2008) as well as Danny Boyle's 2010 movie ''127 Hours'', about real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston's struggle to free his hand from a boulder. His performance in ''127 Hours'' earned him nominations for many high-profile awards, including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe and SAG Awards.

Franco has hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' twice as well as the 83rd Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway. He volunteers for the Art of Elysium charity.

Franco is currently teaching a class at New York University about transferring poetry to film.

Early life and family

Nicknamed "Ted", James Edward Franco was born in Palo Alto, California. His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a poet, author, and editor, and his father, Douglas Eugene Franco, runs a non-profit agency and a shipping container company; the two met as students at Stanford University. Franco's father is of Portuguese and Swedish descent and Franco's mother is Jewish, a descendant of immigrants from Russia (her family's surname had been changed from "Verovitz" to "Verne"). His paternal grandmother, Marjorie (Peterson) Franco, is a published author of young adult books; his maternal grandmother, Mitzie (Levine) Verne, owns the Verne Art Gallery, a prominent art gallery in Cleveland, and was an active member in the National Council of Jewish Women.

Franco's family upbringing was "academic, liberal and largely secular." He grew up in California with his two younger brothers, Tom and Dave ("Davy"), the latter of whom is also an actor. Talented at mathematics, Franco interned at Lockheed Martin. Franco was often encouraged by his father to get good grades and did exceptionally well on his SATs. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996, where he acted in plays. In his high school years, Franco was arrested for underage drinking, graffiti and for being a part of a group that stole designer fragrances from department stores and sold them to classmates. These arrests led to him briefly becoming a ward of the state. Facing the possibility of juvenile hall, a judge decided to give Franco a second chance. "It was teen angst. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I was shy. I changed my ways just in time to get good grades", he recalled of his troubles with the law.

Although the idea of becoming a marine zoologist interested him, Franco had always secretly wanted to become an actor but feared rejection. He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as an English major, but dropped out after his freshman year against his parents' wishes to pursue a career as an actor, since he would have to have waited two years to audition for their acting program. Franco instead chose to take acting lessons with Robert Carnegie at the Playhouse West. Around this time, Franco took up a late-night job at McDonald's to support himself since his parents refused to do so. He was a vegetarian until working there. While working at the establishment, for his acting classes, he would practice accents on customers. Knowing that the aspiring actor was doing his best to follow his passion, Carnegie poignantly told Franco to pay him what he could and later on pay him back.

Acting career

Early work

After 15 months of training, he began auditioning in Los Angeles, and started professionally acting in 1997 with guest roles on television shows. His first break came in 1999, after he was cast in a leading role on the short-lived but well-reviewed television series ''Freaks and Geeks''. The program, which ran for 18 episodes and was canceled due to low viewership, later became a cult hit among audiences. He has since described the series as "one of the most fun" work experiences that he has had. In another interview, Franco said: "When we were doing ''Freaks and Geeks'', I didn’t quite understand how movies and TV worked, and I would improvise even if the camera wasn’t on me ... So I was improvising a little bit back then, but not in a productive way." Franco made his film debut in a brief role in the 1999 Drew Barrymore-starring ''Never Been Kissed'' and his first major movie was the romantic teen comedy ''Whatever It Takes'' (2000), in which he played popular jock Chris. The latter is a modern day remake of the 1897 play ''Cyrano de Bergerac''.

He was subsequently cast as the title role in director Mark Rydell's 2001 TV biographical film ''James Dean''. To immerse himself in the role, Franco went from being a non-smoker to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, dyed his dark brown hair blond, and learned to ride a motorcycle as well as play guitar and the bongos. To have a greater understanding of Dean, Franco spent hours with two of Dean's associates. Other research included reading books on Dean and studying his movies. While filming ''James Dean'', the actor, to get into character, cut off communication with his family and friends, as well as his then-girlfriend. "It was a very lonely existence," he notes. "If I wasn't on a set, I was watching James Dean. That was my whole thinking. James Dean. James Dean." Despite already being a fan of Dean, Franco feared he might be typecast if he'd captured the actor too convincingly. Ken Tucker of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote: "Franco could have walked through the role and done a passable Dean, but instead gets under the skin of this insecure, rootless young man." He received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG).

2002–2007

In the 2002 superhero film ''Spider-Man'', Franco played Harry Osborn, the son of the villainous Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and best friend of the title character (Tobey Maguire). Originally, Franco was considered for the lead role of Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the film, though the lead went to Maguire. Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' noted that there are "good moments" between Maguire and Franco in the film. ''Spider-Man'' was a commercial and critical success. The movie grossed $114 million during its opening weekend in North America and went on to earn $822 million worldwide. He next starred in ''Sonny'', a 2002 release in which he was directed by fellow actor Nicolas Cage. It was Cage's involvement that had attracted Franco to the film. Set in 1980s New Orleans, ''Sonny'' follows the titular character (Franco) returning home after just being discharged from the Army. To prepare for his role, he met with sex workers or people who had previously been prostitutes. The movie was panned by critics, with the ''New York Post''s Lou Lumenick calling it an "instant candidate for worst movie of the year." Franco was cast as a homeless drug addict in the drama ''City by the Sea'' (2002) after co-star Robert De Niro saw a snippet of his work in ''James Dean''. He lived on the streets for several days to better understand the subject of the matter as well as talk to former or still using drug addicts. Both projects were released in September.

Following ''City by the Sea'', he co-starred alongside Neve Campbell in Robert Altman's ballet movie ''The Company'' (2003). The success of the first ''Spider-Man'' film led Franco to reprise the role in the 2004 sequel, ''Spider-Man 2''. The movie was well received by critics, and it proved to be a big financial success, setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America. With revenue of $783 million worldwide, it became the second highest grossing film in 2004. The following year he made and starred in the black comedy ''The Ape'' and the 2005 war film ''The Great Raid'', in which he portrayed Robert Prince, a captain in the United States Army's elite Sixth Ranger Battalion. In 2006, Franco co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in ''Annapolis'' and played legendary hero Tristan in ''Tristan & Isolde'', a period piece dramatization of the Tristan and Iseult story also starring English actress Sophia Myles. For the former, he did eight months of boxing training and for the latter, he practiced horseback riding and sword fighting. He then completed training for his Private Pilot Licence in preparation for his role in ''Flyboys'', which was released in September 2006; the same month, Franco appeared briefly in ''The Wicker Man'', the remake of the seminal horror film. Also in 2006, he made a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy ''The Holiday''.

He again played Harry Osborn in ''Spider-Man 3'' (2007). In contrast to the previous two films' positive reviews, ''Spider-Man 3'' was met with a mixed reception by critics. Nonetheless, with a total worldwide gross of $891 million, it stands as the most successful film in the series, and Franco's highest grossing film to date. In this same year, Franco made a cameo appearance as himself in the Apatow-directed comedy ''Knocked Up'', which starred ''Freaks and Geeks'' alumni Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. Franco co-starred with Sienna Miller in the low-budget independent films ''Camille'', a dark fantasy dramedy about a young newly wed couple and ''Interview'', where he appears in a voice only role, both 2007 movies that were ignored by audiences and critics alike. Among his other 2007 projects were ''Good Time Max'', which Franco wrote, directed and starred in. The movie premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and centers around two talented brothers who take very diverse paths in life, one going on to become a doctor whilst the other sibling (Franco) experiences unemployment and uses drugs. The actor chose to cast himself in that role because, "It was really just a process of elimination. I was better suited for this role than the responsible surgeon."

2008–2010

He next starred in ''Pineapple Express'' (2008), a stoner comedy co-starring and co-written by Rogen and produced by Apatow. Of Franco's character, Apatow said, "You tell him, 'Okay, you're going to play a pot dealer,' and he comes back with a three-dimensional character you totally believe exists. He takes it very seriously, even when it's comedy." In her ''New York Times'' review, critic Manohla Dargis wrote: "He’s delightful as Saul, loosey-goosey and goofy yet irrepressibly sexy, despite that greasy curtain of hair and a crash pad with a zero WAF (Woman Acceptance Factor). It’s an unshowy, generous performance and it greatly humanizes a movie that, as it shifts genre gears and cranks up the noise, becomes disappointingly sober and self-serious." His performance earned him a second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. He has stated in some interviews that he no longer uses cannabis (although he has occasionally alluded to his smoking marijuana, most notably during an extended segment on ''The Colbert Report''.) He was awarded ''High Times'' magazine's Stoner of the Year Award for his work in ''Pineapple Express''. In 2008 he also appeared in two films by American artist Carter, exhibited at the Yvon Lambert gallery in Paris. On September 20, 2008, he hosted the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''), and a second time on December 19, 2009.

Franco starred opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Emile Hirsch in Gus Van Sant's ''Milk'' (2008). In the film, he played Scott Smith, the boyfriend of Harvey Milk (Penn). Kenneth Turan of the ''Los Angeles Times'', in review of the film, wrote: "Franco is a nice match for him [Penn] as the lover who finally has enough of political life." For his performance in the film, Franco won the Independent Spirit Award in the category for Best Supporting Actor. In late 2009, he joined the cast of the daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'' on a recurring basis. He plays Franco, a multimedia artist much like himself, who comes to Port Charles with unfinished business with mob enforcer Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). Franco has called his ''General Hospital'' role performance art. In March 2011, he will reprise his role in two episodes of ''General Hospital''. In September 2011, Franco will reprise his role as Robert "Franco" Frank for an extended stay.

2010 was a prolific year for Franco. He kicked off the year by making an appearance on the sitcom ''30 Rock'' where he played himself and carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) in a scheme concocted by their respective agents. After appearing in the commercial successes ''Date Night'', an action comedy, and ''Eat Pray Love'', an adaption of a self-help novel, Franco played poet Allen Ginsberg in the drama ''Howl'', released on September 24. The latter, about his most known poem and the trial about the work, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and earned modest reviews.

His next project was ''127 Hours'', directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, where Franco portrayed real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston. It was given a limited release starting on November 5, 2010. ''127 Hours'' centered on Ralston trying to free his hand after it became trapped under a boulder in a ravine while canyoneering alone in Utah and resorting to desperate measures in order to survive, eventually amputating his arm. During the five-week, 12-hours-per-day shoot, Franco would only leave the gully set to use the lavatory and would read books such as academic textbooks to keep busy. Franco later called making ''127 Hours'' a once in a life time experience. To date, ''127 Hours'' is one of his most well-reviewed movies and was also a commercial success, commissioning $57.5 million against an $18 million budget. His performance earned him universal acclaim from critics. Subsequently, he was nominated for most of the high-profile awards, notably an Academy Award, Golden Globe and SAG as well as winning an Independent Spirit Award.

2011–present

On February 23, Franco made a cameo appearance on NBC's ''Minute to Win It'' where the real-life Ralston was participating as a contestant playing for charity. After having an uncredited cameo in the opening scene of ''The Green Hornet'' (2011), he starred opposite Natalie Portman and Danny McBride in the Medieval fantasy comedy ''Your Highness'' on April 8. In it he plays Fabious, a prince who teams up with his brother (McBride) to rescue Fabious' soon to be bride (played by Zooey Deschanel). In May 2010, he was cast to star in Rupert Wyatt's $90 million budgeted ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'', a reboot of the ''Planet of the Apes'' series which was released on August 5. Franco has also announced that in the fall of 2011, he will appear on Broadway with Nicole Kidman in the upcoming revival of ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' by Tennessee Williams, which will be directed by David Cromer. Franco will star alongside Winona Ryder in a film entitled ''The Stare'', which is to be directed by Jay Anania. Production is expected to begin in New York on May 6, 2011. He was cast as a drug-addicted lawyer in ''Cherry'', which will start shooting the following month in California and also star Heather Graham. He dropped out of the indie ''While We're Young'' to star in ''Oz: The Great and Powerful'', a Disney prequel to L. Frank Baum's ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), as the Wizard, superseding Johnny Depp. Filming began in July.

At the end of September 2010, the actor acquired the rights to Stephen Elliott's ''The Adderall Diaries'', with the intentions to adapt, direct and star in it. It was announced in January 2011 that the actor has planned to not only star in but direct himself in ''The Night Stalker'', a film version of author Philip Carlo's book about the 1980s serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Co-screenwriter to the screenplay, Nicholas Constantine, was initially unconvinced that Franco would be right for the movie, until he learned of Franco's desire to be a director and later watched three of his short films, one of which featured a serial killer, ultimately confirming to the writer that the actor had a darker side. One of his other upcoming projects, ''The Iceman'', with reunite Franco with Michael Shannon, after the two worked together on the short film ''Herbert White''. The movie is based upon real-life contract murderer Richard Kuklinski, who notoriously froze his victims. The actor also has plans to direct a film version of William Faulkner's ''As I Lay Dying''.

Other projects

Franco produced and directed a documentary titled ''Saturday Night'' documenting a week in the production of an episode of ''SNL''. The film began as a short for an NYU class but grew due to his two episodes as host, while short stories he wrote for other classes appeared in ''Esquire'' and ''McSweeney's''. In summer 2010, the fictional Franco from ''General Hospital'' held an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, while the real Franco held an exhibit at the museum based on his experiences on the soap opera.

One of his short movies, ''The Clerk's Tale'', was screened in competition at the Hamptons Film Festival at the end of 2010. The short was also shown at the Cannes Festival. During an interview with Screen Comment’s Ali Naderzad, Franco had this to say about his Cannes experience: "Cannes is a huge honor. As a film student, having my short play on the closing night of Critic’s Week is the best thing I could ask for. The festival has honored so many of my favorite films and so many of my heroes, it is still hard to believe I will be involved with such an amazing festival. It is so nice to be recognized as a director."

On October 19, 2010 Scribner published a collection of short stories called ''Palo Alto: Stories'' by Franco. The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. Inspired by some of Franco's own teenage memories, ''Palo Alto'' consists of life in Palo Alto as experienced by a series of teenagers who spend most of their time indulging in driving drunk, using drugs and taking part in unplanned acts of violence. Each passage is told by a young narrator. The book has received mixed reviews; ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance." ''The Guardian'' said that Franco's "foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source." Writing in the ''New York Times'', reviewer and fellow author Joshua Mohr praised Franco for how, in the story "American History", he juxtaposed historical parts with a present-day social commentary that "makes the we wonder how much we’ve actually evolved in post-bellum America."

Publisher's Weekly reviewed the collection, stating "The author fails to find anything remotely insightful to say in these 11 amazingly underwhelming stories."

In January, the actor screened his multimedia project entitled ''Three's Company The Drama'', in which he merges video and art to update the former sitcom, at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Franco reunited with ''Milk'' director Van Sant to make ''Unfinished'', a project that features two movies: ''Endless Idaho'' and ''My Own Private River''. ''Endless Idaho'' showcases edited outtakes, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage from the 1991 movie ''My Own Private Idaho'', while ''My Own Private River'' focuses on the late actor River Phoenix. The idea for the exhibition was conceived after Van Sant introduced unused footage from the 1991 film to Franco, inspiring him to turn it into something more. ''Unfinished'' opened from February 26 to April 9 at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.

On February 27, 2011, he and Anne Hathaway hosted the 83rd Academy Awards. The two were selected to help the awards show achieve its goal of attracting a younger audience. Franco had previously said that he accepted the job for the experience and because it was like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Numerous media viewers criticized Franco for his discontent and lack of energy on stage and the show was widely panned, with some reviewers dubbing it the worst telecast in its history. The actor later spoke about his hosting in an interview on ''The Late Show with David Letterman''. He explained that when accepting the job he never had high hopes, adding “It was never on my list of things to do. It doesn’t mean I didn’t care and it doesn’t mean I didn’t try, right?” Regarding allegations that he was under the influence of marijuana while hosting, Franco commented "I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway. She has a lot of energy!" He concluded that he tried his best and could have had "low energy" during the telecast.

In May, Franco made his dance-theater directorial debut at New York's Stella Adler studios, where he narrated all the performances. Entitled "Collage" and described as a "mixed-media piece", the show featured live dance, theater, music, and poetry. Tickets were free but were be distributed on a first come, first serve basis. The actor will also direct two short films for songs ("Blue" and "That Someone Is You") by R.E.M. from their album ''Collapse Into Now'' (2011). Franco continued his career as a filmmaker with ''The Broken Tower'', a 90-minute docudrama shot in black and white about poet Hart Crane, who committed suicide by jumping off the steamship ''SS Orizaba''. It originally started out as his masters thesis. After being screened at 2011's Los Angeles Film Festival among more than 200 feature films, short projects, and music videos from more than 30 countries to be selectedit is slated for a 2012 theatrical release.

In the media

He has been described as having "an unusually high metabolism for productivity...a superhuman ability to focus". Viewed as a sex symbol, Franco was named the Sexiest Man Living in 2009 by Salon.com.

There has often been frequent media coverage of Franco, particularly regarding his interest in going to colleges. In addition to that, Franco has also claimed to have been strongly misquoted by reports in the media and news outlets reporting erroneous information about him. This led to the actor being parodied in an episode of ''SNL''s Weekend Update segment, which an ''Entertainment Weekly'' writer deemed "clever". In a 2011 interview, he stated:

"I’ve been perceived as this guy yelling, 'Hey, look at me. I want attention.' I’m not going to school to get articles written about me. I’m just going to school. But the fact that I’m going to school or that someone takes a picture of me sleeping is like, 'We’re gonna jump on that and criticize him for his antics.' What antics? I write. I make movies. I’m going to school. I hosted the Oscars. I take these projects seriously."

In response to questions regarding his sexuality now that he has portrayed three gay characters during his acting career, he insists he finds plenty more dimensions to the characters than their bedroom proclivities. "Or, you know what," he quipped, "maybe I’m just gay." Those rumors led to a Gawker article linking him to a ''New York Post'' Page Six blind item about a closeted gay actor, nicknamed "the Gay Rapist". Despite the victim of the alleged attack denying that it was Franco, two magazines then contacted Franco's lawyer to alert them that they might run stories suggesting his involvement, but were unable to as at least part of their stories were fabricated. However, Gawker refused to take their article down as they were simply reporting what another outlet published and instead offered him a chance to make a comment about the speculation on its website. He declined, hoping it would die down. The actor later called the episode very offensive because he has friends who have been raped.

Personal life

In 2008, he was named as the new face of Gucci's men's fragrance line. Regarding his secular upbringing, Franco told ''The Guardian'' that he feels as if he has "missed out on the Jewish experience", but has been told not to worry about that by his Jewish friends. He said in the same interview that he likes "the idea of religion as a source of community." When asked if he was a "believer", he responded "In God? I don't know. Yes. To a certain extent. It's a complicated question." After meeting on the set of ''Whatever It Takes'', Franco dated co-star Marla Sokoloff for five years. He was in a relationship with actress Ahna O'Reilly for several years since around 2006. He confirmed their separation in an interview for ''Playboy'' magazine's August 2011 issue, saying that his interest in education got between them.

Education

Franco has received an extensive education, and continues to do so. Dissatisfied with his career's direction, Franco reenrolled at UCLA in the fall of 2006 as an English major with a creative writing concentration. He received permission to take as many as 62 course credits per quarter compared to the normal limit of 19, while still continuing to act. He received his undergraduate degree in June 2008 with a GPA over 3.5. For his degree, Franco prepared his departmental honors thesis as a novel under the supervision of Mona Simpson. While at the university, the actor studied French, the Holocaust, philosophy of science, and American literature among other things. To continue acting, he would study on film sets.

He was selected as the commencement speaker at his alma mater, UCLA, and was to speak at the ceremony on June 12, 2009. On June 3, however, a press release announced Franco's cancellation due to a scheduling conflict, making it the second cancellation in a row, after commencement speaker Bill Clinton had canceled the appearance. On January 26, 2011, Franco and the Harvard Lampoon released a satirical video on prominent comedy website Funny or Die mocking his last-minute cancellation.

He moved to New York to simultaneously attend graduate school at Columbia University's MFA writing program, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for filmmaking (NYU), and Brooklyn College for fiction writing, while occasionally commuting to North Carolina's Warren Wilson College for poetry. He received his MFA from Columbia in 2010. Franco is a Ph.D. student in English at Yale University and will also attend the Rhode Island School of Design. The actor opted against watching the 2011 Academy Award nominees be announced (where he was a top contender) in favor of attending class. "I’m not gonna miss class to go and presume that I’m going to be nominated, but if you want to bring out a camera crew to Yale and wait and see if I get nominated, I’d be happy to step out of class and say I’m very grateful", he commented.

He has been accepted to the University of Houston for the doctoral (Ph.D.) program – one of 20 people to be selected out of 400 applicants – in literature and creative writing and plans to enroll in fall 2012. Having previously shown a desire to teach, in March 2011, it was announced that Franco will teach a fall semester course on modifying poetry into short films to ten to twelve third-year graduate film students at NYU. The course will focus mainly on production, meaning that the students will be in charge of creating their own film based on poetry. At the time of the announcement the actor had yet to put together a syllabus, but has until the summertime to do so.

When asked about his education, Franco said that he loves school and that it keeps him focused as well as grounded. "I go to school because I love being around people who are interested in what I’m interested in and I’m having a great experience… I’m studying things that I love so it’s not like it’s a chore", he told the ''Washington Post'', according to a ''New York Magazine'' article. Franco has also credited his education for helping him "take acting seriously" when his parents did not see it as a successful post-college career. Franco developed an aptitude for art—painting in particular—during his high school years while attending the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA). Franco has said painting was the "outlet" he needed in high school, and he "has actually been painting longer than he has been acting." His paintings were displayed publicly for the first time at the Glü Gallery in Los Angeles, from January 7, through February 11, 2006. He launched his first European art exhibition in 2011 at Peres Projects in Berlin.

He enjoys reading on the set of his films. ''Pineapple Express'' producer Judd Apatow has said of him: "He's a very education-minded person. We used to laugh because in between takes he'd be reading ''The Iliad'' on set. We still haven't read ''The Iliad''. It was a very difficult book. With him, it was always James Joyce or something."

Charitable work

Franco has said aiding others is "the key to life, the key to happiness" and, "as an actor, you can get wrapped up in yourself and your career...A little secret is one of the greatest ways to break that is to stop thinking about yourself for a second." When Franco was at a point in his life where he wanted to give back but was unsure how, he asked his ''Spider-Man'' co-star Kirsten Dunst for advice. At the suggestion of Dunst, he started volunteering at the charity Art of Elysium, where she also volunteers, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He said the experience helped save his life. In January 2011, at the Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles, Franco was honored for his work at the hospital, receiving the Spirit of Elysium accolade.

On March 31, 2011, the actor took part in "An Evening with James Franco", a Washington DC dinner benefit for 826DC, a non-profit foundation created to help neighborhood students reach their goals, as well as provide after-school literature programs and workshops which encourage them to improve their writing skills. Franco became involved with Dave Egger's 826 National after Eggers asked him to do a conceptual idea for the program, and he directed a documentary for them and has since been a supporter of them. At the event, Franco spoke about how he thought schools needed to be more original with their literature programs. "Writing can do things that video cannot", he added.

In April, Franco autographed a T-shirt that will be auctioned-off through the Yoshiki Foundation, with the proceeds being donated for the Japanese tsunami relief occurring in 2011. On June 14, he was honored by amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research, at the Museum of Modern Art. Franco received the Piaget Award of Inspiration for his humanitarian work and contributions to men’s style.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1998	''1973''	Greg	TV film
1999	''To Serve and Protect''	Matt Carr	TV film
1999	''Never Been Kissed''	Jason Way
2000	''At Any Cost''	Mike
2000	''If Tomorrow Comes''	Devin
2000		Chris
2001	''Mean People Suck''	Casey
2001	''Some Body''	Apartment guy 3	Uncredited
2001		James Dean	TV filmBroadcast Film Critics Association
2002	''Blind Spot''	Danny
2002	''Mother Ghost''	Skateboarder guy
2002		Sonny Phillips	limited release
2002	''[[City by the Sea''	Joey	Nominated—Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
2002		Harry Osborn
2002	''Deuces Wild''	Tino
2003	''''	Josh
2004	''Spider-Man 2''	Harry Osborn
2005	''''	Harry Walker	Direct-to-video
2005	''''	Captain Prince
2005	''Fool's Gold''	Brent	Also writer and director
2006	''Grasshopper''	Travis	Short film
2006		Tristan
2006		Jake Huard
2006	''''	Bar guy No.1
2006		Blaine Rawlings
2006	''''	Derek
2006	''''	Himself	Uncredited
2007	''Spider-Man 3''	Harry Osborn / New Goblin	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (with Tobey Maguire)
2007	''Knocked Up''	Himself	Uncredited
2007	''In the Valley of Elah''	Sergeant Dan Carnelli
2007	''Finishing the Game''	Dean Silo/"Rob Force"
2007	''''	Andy
2007		Boyfriend on phone
2007		Silas Parker
2007	''Good Time Max''	Max Verbinski	Also writer and director
2008		Saul Silver
2008	''Nights in Rodanthe''	Dr. Mark Flanner	Uncredited
2008			Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleNominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best KissNominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2010	''Shadows & Lies''	William Vincent
2010	''Date Night''	Thomas Tripplehorn/ Felton
2010	''Eat Pray Love''	David
2010		Allen Ginsberg
2010	''127 Hours''	Aron Ralston	Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male LeadIndiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best ActorLas Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNew York Film Critics Online Award for Best ActorSanta Barbara International Film Festival Award for Outstanding PerformanceUtah Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Academy Award for Best ActorNominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—MTV Movie Award for Best WTF MomentNominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleNominated—St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
2011		Danny "Crystal" Clear	Cameo uncredited
2011	''Your Highness''	Fabious
2011		Hart Crane	Also director, writer, editor and producer
2011	''Sal''	Milton Katselas	James also wrote and directed this film. The film is set to premier at the Venice Film Festival on September 2nd
2011	''Rise of the Planet of the Apes''	Will Rodman
2011	''Maladies''	James	''post-production''. Franco is also producing
2012	''The Stare''	Tyrone	''post-production''. Franco is also producing
2012			''Filming''
2013	''Oz: The Great and Powerful''	Oz	Filming

+ Series television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1997		Brian
1999		Stevie
1999–2000	''Freaks and Geeks''	Daniel Desario
2001	''The X-Files''	Officer No.2
2009–2011	''General Hospital''
2010	''30 Rock''	Himself	Episode: "Klaus and Greta"

Selected works

Franco, James. "A Star, a Soap and the Meaning of Art." ''The Wall Street Journal'', December 4, 2009.

Franco, James. "Just Before the Black." ''Esquire'', March 24, 2010.

References

External links

Category:1978 births Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from California Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American people of Swedish descent Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American people of Portuguese descent Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American soap opera actors Category:American television actors Category:Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Independent Spirit Award winners Category:Jewish actors Category:Living people Category:Palo Alto High School alumni Category:People from Palo Alto, California Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:Yale University alumni

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