Back in early 2018—shortly after his film The Disaster Artist, which he directed and starred in, arrived in theaters—James Franco was hit with accusations from five women, alleging sexually inappropriate behavior had taken place at his now-shuttered Studio 4 acting school. Franco eventually settled a suit with two of those women, whose accusations included a variety of improprieties related to the school’s handling of sexually explicit work. But this latest incident was only the latest in a long line of allegations that have been levied against Franco over the years, most notably the incident in 2014 in which he admitted to inviting a 17-year-old to join him in a hotel room via Instagram.
Now actress Charlyne Yi has spoken out about her own experiences with Franco, and specifically her efforts to quit The Disaster Artist after she learned of the allegations against him. In an Instagram post published earlier today, Yi calls out not just Franco, but also specifically Seth Rogen, a producer on the film, stating that after she raised concerns about working with Franco, she was offered a larger part in the movie as a “bribe” to keep her involved. Yi states that, when she raised concerns about the actor/director, “They minimized and said Franco being a predator was so last year, and that he changed…when I literally heard of him abusing new women that week.”
Noting that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Yi put special emphasis on calling out “enablers,” stating that they’re “just as toxic and abusers, too,” and writing that “Seth Rogen was one of the producers on this film so he definitely knows about the bribe and why I quit.” So far, no one involved with the production of the film, including Rogen and Franco, appear to have responded to Yi’s accusations.