Dave Franco Says the Reason He Was Successful Wasn’t ‘Just Because’ He’s James Franco’s Brother: ‘If I Sucked, I Would’ve Disappeared’

In a recent interview with Bustle, Dave Franco, James Franco‘s brother, asserted that “no one was going to hire me just because I was James Franco’s little brother.” However, he did admit that having a movie-star sibling helped him get his foot in the door when he started his acting career.

“If I sucked, I would’ve disappeared very quickly,” he said. He added of their relationship, “At this point, I think he’s excited just to see me trying new things and to see me grow.”

Dave Franco’s first notable credit was on a Season 10 episode of the WB drama “7th Heaven” in 2006. A year later, he broke into the movie business with a small role in Greg Mottola’s iconic coming-of-age comedy “Superbad.” His star rose in the early 2010s with supporting roles in “Fright Night,” “21 Jump Street” and “Now You See Me.” His more recent credits include “Regretting You,” “Together” and “Love Lies Bleeding.”

James Franco also broke out on the small screen, landing his first major role on Paul Feig’s cult classic TV show “Freaks and Geeks.” In 2002, he landed the role of Harry Osborn in Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man,” solidifying the older Franco as a Hollywood mainstay. In the years following, his notable credits included “Pineapple Express,” “Milk,” “127 Hours,” “Spring Breakers,” “This Is The End,” “The Interview” and “The Disaster Artist.”

In 2019, James Franco’s career stalled after two members of his acting school filed a lawsuit alleging that he “engaged in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students by sexualizing their power as a teacher and an employer by dangling the opportunity for roles in their projects.” In 2021, the lawsuit was settled for over $2 million.