Seth Rogen Ignores James Franco’s Apologies Amid Career Comeback Attempts

Scandal-scarred James Franco is desperate to repair his friendship with onetime best bud Seth Rogen, believing a reconciliation would help jump-start his stalled career, but his overtures have fallen on deaf ears, sources exclusively spill to GLOBE.

Franco, 46, and Rogen, 42, were close for years after costarring on the NBC com-ing-of-age series Freaks and Geeks in 1999, but sources say the gulf between them has never been wider.

“James has been bending over backward trying to earn Seth’s forgiveness, but that door has been slammed shut,” an insider dishes.

The once inseparable pair were beloved counterculture icons with a string of offbeat comedy hits, including Pineapple Express, The Disaster Artist and This Is the End, but their relationship unraveled in 2018 when Franco was hit with sexual harassment allegations by five women who attended Studio 4, his Los Angeles acting school.

As GLOBE readers know, the Sausage Party star confessed to using his teaching position to seduce some of his female students. After five years of denying the charges, the actor ultimately ended up paying $2.2 million to two women who sued him for using Studio 4 as a “pipeline” to funnel victims to satisfy his predatory lust.

Franco blamed his actions on “sex addiction” and insists he’s been undergoing treatment for years.

Even after the dust settled, Rogen made it clear that Franco was persona non grata in his world.

“I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it,” the Dumb Money star said. He added, “I do not plan to [work with Franco again] right now.”

Franco whined over the public rejection, saying, “I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it’s over.”

Rogen said that Franco’s lament “really wasn’t on my radar.”

A source tells GLOBE that Rogen continues to ignore Franco’s calls and texts. “Seth just hopes James will grow a pair and quit bellyaching in public about how he cut him out of his life,” the source says. “He hates that James ruined their friendship by putting him at risk by association.

“Besides, Seth knows James is kissing up to him at least in part to salvage whatever remnants remain of his acting career. He figures, good luck with that, just leave me the hell out of it!”