James Franco: My parents considered my dream of acting "foolish"
The parents of Academy Award-nominated actor James Franco initially thought his dream to become an actor was foolish, he tells Tony Dokoupil in an interview to air on CBS' "Sunday Morning" December 31.
He didn't listen, and today Franco is garnering great reviews for his work in "The Disaster Artist," where he plays Tommy Wiseau, the real-life producer, director and star of "The Room," a film derided as the worst ever.
"If you want to be an artist of any kind, people are not going to beg you to do it," Franco tells Dokoupil. "You have to want to do it. You have to put in the work. You have to prove it. My parents didn't believe me. You know, it's like I had to do it."
And he has. Franco earned an Oscar nomination for his work in the film "127 Hours," and has amassed more acting credits than many of his well-known contemporaries.
Indeed, Franco also earned a reputation as someone who does too much, too quickly, including appearing in nearly 150 films and TV shows, in addition to producing and directing; returning to school for multiple advanced degrees; and taking up his new hobby, surfing.
Dokoupil talks with Franco about his career, his decision to return to school in 2007 that led to exhaustion, his childhood, and how at the height of his fame he was "really depressed."
Now that he's 40, Franco has slowed down. "Hard work does pay off," he said. "But what I didn't realize is that you need balance, and you cannot make your happiness contingent on work. Or on anything outside of you, for that matter, right?
"At the risk of sounding cheesy, it's gotta be a more spiritual thing. I didn't learn that until a year ago."
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS Sunday Morning," hosted by Jane Pauley, is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.
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For more info:
- "The Disaster Artist" (Official A24 site)