Everyone knows that Hollywood business can be messy. The trial of Harvey Weinstein is still fresh in the mind of popular culture inspiring documentaries and films.Hollywood A-list actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife actress Amber Heard underwent a highly publicized legal battle pertaining to abuse allegations. The trial sent the into a hurricane of debate surrounding who was it right to support, the behavior of Warner Brothers studios, and maybe a setback for believing all women.
One person that found themselves in the midst of the Depp vs. Heard trial was James Franco. It was difficult not to cringe when observing James Franco cuddle up with Amber Heard as they rode an elevator together to Johnny Depp's penthouse. The image inspired a new way of hate for the Pineapple Express actor. His tryst with heard did not help his image.
James Franco is no stranger to being messy, but the actor has not always been the origin nor participant in the problems he's surrounded with. In 2014, he accused his manager of stealing from his profits.
What Happened Between James Franco And His Former Agent Miles Levy?
This situation was beyond messy since it involved a near fifty-year relationship between childhood friends and a near three decade professional relationship. Who did James Franco point the finger at? Franco and former company director, Ken Jacobson accused Miles Levy of illegally acquiring a third of all the commissions earned from 2006 to late 2013.
Tanner Mainstain Blatt Glynn & Johnson LLP (TMBG&J) and James Levy Management (JLM) pointed fingers at each other. So, here's what's messy. It was a straight-up (alleged) scam. Allegedly, Steve Blatt and James Levy set up a company for 5% of Franco's profits to "hold".
Miles Levy then pointed their finger at Tanner Mainstain Blatt Glynn & Johnson LLP the financial advisor firm. Levy claims that the financial company was not only fully aware of the alleged theft, but benefited from Levy's sticky fingers. Steve Blatt, the partner name in the financial firm, was Levy's man on the inside according to Franco. Jacobson referred to this activity as Levy's alleged "sleight of hand".
Franco realized something of seriously wrong he learned his credits were used for Levy's personal use. Franco walked away from Blatt and Levy. Franco and Levy agreed that the stolen funds would be repaid from the 10% commission. This incident led to the revelation of Blatt and Levy's alleged illegal activities. Everyone could see Franco was still paying 15%, but only 10% actually found its way to JLM.
A lot of the clients moved on with Randy James. James Levy Management is finished. Miles Levy and James Levy did settle everything without a trial.James and Levy issued a public statement that "no client money was ever at risk".
Controversy Continued To Follow James Franco
James Franco is currently mired in allegations. The actor was slammed by the two women that accused him of misconduct.
On Jess Cagle's show Franco faced criticism for not providing his students the promised availability in his acting school. He lamented his overcommitments and being so exhausted that he could not even stay away between takes.
Franco complained that everything he was doing wasn't "fun". The interview takes a different tone when you realize that in the midst of the interview Franco sounds like he should be admired for his work ethic.
Franco claims that because he didn't choose the students to be in the class, so it wasn't a "master plan." He reiterates several times that the relationships were consensual. When, confronted with the aspect of the obvious power imbalance, he says that he just didn't think about things at the time. Ultimately, the actor relented that "You know what, I was in a consensual thing with a student and I shouldn't have been."
What's Next for James Franco?
According to IMDB, Franco's first project after his $2.2 million dollar settlement is a post World War II drama from Danish director Bille August. The project is titled Me, You. The story is set in the 1950s on the Italian island of Ischia. This coming of age story will feature Tom Holland and Daisy Jacob. Like most recent Hollywood productions, the film is an adaption of a coming of age novel written by Erri De Luca titled Tu, Mia.
The story centers on a young 16-year-old named Marco. While on vacation from boarding school, Marco becomes friends with Nicola (Franco). Franco's character is a U.S. soldier who shares his war stories with the young man. Marco also meets Daisy Jacob's character, Caia, a victim of the SS. Marco intends to avenge Caia by attacking German tourists of the island.
Franco says he's excited to be a part of the project and the script is excellent. Pending his performance and the over all finished project, we won't call it a comeback.