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Update:
- A California judge gave the green light to a $2.2 million class action settlement reached between actor James Franco and students of his acting school.
- The settlement includes anyone who paid tuition for any course at Studio 4 Film School in Los Angeles or New York during the class period.
- It does not resolve or include the sexual exploitation claims. The actresses who attended the school claimed that Franco used his production company to exploit women, making them engage in explicitly nude and sexual scenes.
- The sexual exploitation claims are being dismissed without prejudice. However, only the named plaintiffs released their individual claims.
- Franco and his co-defendants deny any wrongdoing.
(Feb 23, 2021)
A tentative class action settlement has been reached with the students who accused James Franco of sexual exploitation and abuse. The actresses claimed that Franco used his production company to exploit women, making them engage in explicitly nude and sexual scenes.
The plaintiffs, two former students, alleged that Franco and his associated productions company, Rabbit Bandini, pushed the boundaries of explicit nudity, sex, power, and fame, affecting many aspiring actresses looking for employment.
The lawsuit said that sex abuses occurred from 2014 through 2017 when the studio closed. During that time, women were allegedly forced to pay for their exploitation. A masterclass focusing on sex scenes, and costing $750, was allegedly used to exploit would-be actresses. In order to get in, the women say they had to audition partially or fully nude. In addition, the lawsuit claimed that employment opportunities associated with female students increased when they agreed to perform sex scenes, nudity, or overt sexual acts.
All rights to the explicit nude and sex scene auditions and filming were signed over by the women, according to the class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs say they were informed that James Franco wanted to personally review each of the scenes and auditions on his own.
The lawsuit further pointed out that James Franco made a public statement indicating that if he had done something wrong he will fix it, and now he will have to.
In addition to seeking unspecified damages for the alleged harm done, the plaintiffs sought a court order requiring Franco to destroy the video recordings of any sex scenes that were taped as part of the film school.
At the time, the Washington Post interviewed actresses in the school program who said that they were first encouraged to appear topless and then to perform an orgy sex scene in full nudity in Franco’s program.
The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of themselves and all of the similarly situated students who paid tuition to the school.
Franco fought the class action allegations, filing an objection in March of 2020, according to Global News Canada.
“The #MeToo and Times Up movements have made tremendous and important contributions to improving not only the culture of the entertainment business but also the world as a whole,” stated court documents obtained by Vanity Fair. “Unfortunately, while these movements have rightly brought down a number of reprehensible individuals, they have also ensnared an innocent man. James Franco.”
The parties entered into a partial settlement in February after months of negotiations. While the settlement amount has not been disclosed, Global News reports that elements of the class action lawsuit may still proceed. The settlement will be submitted to the court for preliminary approval by March 15, 2021, reports CBR.com.
This class action lawsuit came on the heels of other high profile claims that men in power sexually abused women under the pretext of providing employment opportunities and even medical services, including a former USC gynecologist who recently had his medical license pulled after thousands of women complained of assault.
Did you attend James Franco’s film school or another acting class? Did you experience any sexual exploitation or abuse?
The plaintiffs are represented by Valli Kane & Vagnini, LLP.
The James Franco Sex Abuse Class Action Lawsuit is Case No. 19STCV35156, in the Superior Court for the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.
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