Well, this was kind of inevitable… James Franco‘s career has always had a meta-ness to it, with the actor’s personal and professional personas and his mix of brow-furrowing art projects with mainstream Hollywood fare blending and overlapping. Need evidence? Well, the movie he co-directed “Francophrenia (Or Don’t Kill Me, I Know Where the Baby Is)” took footage from his stint on “General Hospital” (wherein he played an artist/serial named Franco) and reshaped into a quasi-“profile” about himself “as he muses on the absurdities of fame, its suffocating, ever-present spectre that dominates his every interaction, and his longing to do a bit of serial killing himself, starting with his agent.” Apparently, that was not quite meta enough, and now Franco is taking it to the next level.
The polymath has now inked a deal with Ovation for “James Franco Presents,” a ten episode series, running one hour each, that will “pull back the curtain on the many side projects he is perpetually involved with, from his latest art exhibit to his work in collegiate classrooms.” The unscripted show, that Franco will also executive produce because obviously, will find him sharing his various art projects. The show promises lots of unseen footage shot by Franco himself, including glimpses at experimental shorts he’s made and the pleasure of just following him to whatever he’s working on. If haven’t had enough Franco in your life, this will likely top it off for you.
‘Presents’ will hit your TV dial in November, but if you need some Franco before then, he’s got two movies hitting TIFF and Venice — “Child Of God” which he wrote, directed and stars in and “Palo Alto,” which he stars in and is based on of his book short stories. Oh yeah, he’s also the subject of a “Comedy Central Roast” on September 2nd. [Variety]
What's so great about James Franco again? It's not like he spit a great verse on Big Sean's "Control" or anything.
Phoenix already did "I'm Still Here". Now this fiction reality thing with cool actors is getting tired fast. wink-wink nudge-nudge yeah yeah we all get it.
Whenever I read a story like this about Franco, which is pretty often, I wonder if his greatest piece of art is a performance piece where he convinces the world he's an artist…
He tried to make this hybrid fiction/reality web show at USC last year, but the school made him ax it once they saw how negatively it portrayed the students and school. I think he was butthurt about that one.
Franco takes it to the next level.
Does that mean he really is going to shove his entire head up his arse for real?