Actor-turned-artist James Franco has revealed that he was able to combine both his passions in his latest project.
His latest Hollywood film, Why Him, is a romantic comedy about an eccentric tattooed young internet billionaire, played by Franco, who falls in love with the daughter of Bryan Cranston’s character. The comedy follows the ensuing feud which unfolds between the two men.
The multi-talented actor—who has no real ink—personally designed much of the body art that adorns his character. “I drew some of them,” he told the US breakfast TV program Today. “And I don’t think this is [a] spoiler, but there’s a big tattoo on my back of the whole family.”
Bryan Cranston’s character in front of James Franco’s painting in the new romantic comedy Why Him. Photo: screenshot via YouTube.
He also revealed that numerous paintings featured in the movie are in fact versions his own artworks. “There’s a bunch of kind of silly paintings on the wall… some of them have been sold. They’re just replicas of the ones that have been sold.”
This isn’t the actor’s first foray into the realm of fine art. He suffered high-profile embarrassment in April 2014 when his homage to legendary photographer Cindy Sherman, which was controversially exhibited at New York’s Pace Gallery and widely panned by critics.
He also routinely paints portraits of his co-stars, including comedian Randall Park, who played alongside Franco in the 2015 comedy The Interview.
James Franco’s artworks in the new romantic comedy Why Him. Photo: screenshot via YouTube.
The Oscar-nominated actor also participated in a charitable project to raise money for the AIDS charity RED, giving fans the chance to win an artwork of their choice painted by Franco, in exchange for a donation of at least $10.
Franco also had a solo exhibition of bird paintings titled “Koo Koo” at the Siegfried Contemporary gallery in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad in February.