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Seth Rogen Talked About How He Has "No Plans" To Work With James Franco And Expressed Regret For An "SNL" Joke

"I despise abuse and harassment."

Larry Fitzmaurice
by Larry Fitzmaurice

BuzzFeed Staff

You know Seth Rogen.

Seth Rogen at the 92nd Street Y in 2020
Roy Rochlin / Getty Images

Throughout his career, Rogen's worked with James Franco — who's faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct over the past decade — on various film and TV projects.

Rogen and James Franco in The Interview
Ed Araquel / Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Rogen was asked if he believes the allegations made against Franco.

Rogen and Franco look from behind a tree in Pineapple Express
Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

"What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that," he replied.

Franco, Emma Watson, and Rogen in This Is The ENd
Sony Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

Rogen also addressed a joke he made while hosting Saturday Night Live in 2014, which referenced an allegation against Franco from a 17-year-old woman he allegedly DM'd on Instagram: "I decided to prank James Franco. I posed as a girl on Instagram, told him I was way young. He seemed unfazed. I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel."

Rogen, Franco, and Jason Segel in Freaks and Geeks
Nbc / courtesy Everett Collection

While revisiting the remark, Rogen called it "terrible" and said he "very much regrets making that joke."

Franco and Rogen look at each other in Pineapple Express
Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

Rogen continued to mention an interview he gave in 2018 in which he reportedly said he'd continue working with Franco, saying that "the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now."

Rogen and Franco in The Interview
Ed Araquel / Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

This isn't the first time that Rogen's past with Franco has been discussed recently. Last month, actor Charlyne Yi — who acted alongside Franco in The Disaster Artist — accused Franco's peers, including Rogen, of enabling his behavior.

"Why aren't any of James Franco's white male 'feminist' peers holding him accountable for abusing women then using his power and platform to gaslight them?" she wrote.

Read about some of the allegations against Franco here.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search your local center here.