James Franco's Golden Globes win sparks #MeToo controversy
James Franco’s Golden Globes win didn’t sit right with some women watching at home. As the Disaster Artist star accepted the award for Best Actor wearing a “Time’s Up” pin, an unverified Twitter account attributed to actress Ally Sheedy slammed the actor, implying misconduct.
“Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much,” one tweet read. Another said, “Ok wait. Bye. Christian Slater and James Franco at a table on @goldenglobes #MeToo.”
A third exclaimed, “James Franco just won. Please never ever ask me why I left the film/tv business.”
After gaining traction on Twitter, all three of the tweets were deleted. Yahoo reached out to representatives for both Franco and Sheedy but did not receive a response.
The Breakfast Club actress worked with Franco on the 2014 off-Broadway play he directed, The Long Shrift. In a New York Times article that summer, Sheedy noted that the pair had never met until that spring while calling him a “beautiful, generous man.” While it’s unclear what — if anything — transpired between the two, Sheedy was not the only one to take issue with Franco’s win.
Two other women made unverified claims against the actor on Twitter — Franco’s publicist has yet to respond to Yahoo’s request for comment — and many people referenced the 2014 incident when he allegedly tried to pick up an underage girl on social media.
Whatever I still remember James Franco trying to pick up a teenager on Instagram
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) January 8, 2018
when is the time up on James Franco
— miel (@miel) January 8, 2018
It’s … rich of James Franco to be wearing a Time’s Up pin
— Doree Shafrir (@doree) January 8, 2018
James Franco, noted dude who slid inside a 17-year-old girls DMs and noted director and writer of a film of a dude who was in a relationship with an underaged person he was teaching won a Golden Globe, which proves that the non-action of wearing black was double useless.
— Jeans Skinny xD Like Squidward O_o (@whateverchrissy) January 8, 2018
Franco, 35 at the time, pursued the 17-year-old Scottish tourist on Instagram. The flirty exchange was published online by the teenager, who admitted her age in the supposed messages. While they did not meet up, Franco copped to messaging her during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Michael.
“I’m embarrassed, and I guess I’m just a model of how social media is tricky,” Franco embarrassingly said. “It’s a way people meet each other today, but what I’ve learned is you don’t know who’s on the other end. I used bad judgment and I learned my lesson.”
As usual, Twitter #NeverForgets.
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