James Franco on being a loner
In an interview about “Tristan and Isolde,” James Franco commented about how acting relates to being someone who is more comfortable being alone.
Question: You talked about being a loner when you were at school. How hard is it going from being a loner to putting that aside an being an actor cause it seems that acting is not a profession for someone who likes to be alone I mean there is so much of yourself that you have to give.
James Franco: Yeah well I think there are a lot of examples of people like that. I think it was Duval who said he wasn’t use to talking to a lot of people but you know became an actor anyway and De Niro seemed very much the same way.
For me it was…by acting and inhabiting a different part and pretending to be in a different world there is something about it that frees up whatever isn’t free in the real world. So it is not such a contradiction really.
Question: Is it why you became an actor?
James Franco: I guess so. When I first did it, it was kind of a relief it was a voice that I didn’t have before and then you know I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an actor or a painter or a writer or something else…
[From darkhorizons.com interview by Paul Fischer, January 10 2006.]
In another interview, speaking of his role in the television series ‘Freaks and Geeks,’ Franco said it echoed his own high school experience. “I was a little freak, a little geek. High school was a big party the first couple of years, but that gets old, so I broke away and just was a loner. I did a lot of painting, and I was a member of a local art league.” [cyberteens.com interview]
Being a loner - or shy / introverted, ‘not good at small talk’ etc - is something many actors share, including Mischa Barton, Kristin Kreuk, Kim Basinger, Taye Diggs, Nicole Kidman, Sigourney Weaver and others. See the pages on Introversion / shyness.
For many people, this may be based on being highly sensitive, which can help fuel excellence as an actor or other artist.
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February 17th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Mr. Franco can be anyone he wants to be because “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent!” He’s got talent he probably hasn’t gotten to explore yet and all his fans are waiting to see it! Keep striving, James! Your talent is recognized and appreciated!