After allegations against James Franco emerged on Twitter during the Golden Globes Sunday night, the Los Angeles Times has published an article in which five women accuse the star of sexually exploitative or inappropriate behavior.
The report features three new allegations, as well as delving into the claims shared by actresses Sarah Tither-Caplan and Violet Paley on Twitter last week.
In the article, Violet Paley goes into further detail about her allegation against Franco. After beginning a romantic relationship with the star, Paley alleges that he pressured her into oral sex—an act that she had never done with him at that point—while they were sitting in her car.
“I was talking to him, all of a sudden his penis was out,” Paley said. “I got really nervous, and I said, ‘Can we do this later?’ He was kind of nudging my head down, and I just didn’t want him to hate me, so I did it.” She added, “The power dynamic was really off.”
The rest of the allegations come from former acting students of Franco, both at his own acting school, Studio 4, and Playhouse West, where he previously taught.
Sarah Tither-Kaplan alleges that during an orgy scene the actor "removed protective plastic guards covering other actresses’ vaginas while simulating oral sex on them.”
Describing Studio 4, Tither-Kaplan said: “I feel there was an abuse of power, and there was a culture of exploiting non-celebrity women, and a culture of women being replaceable.”
Two other women, Hilary Dusome and Natalie Chmiel, allege that the actor became angry on set and "stormed off" when multiple actresses refused to take their tops off for an unscripted request.
A fourth student of Franco's, Katie Ryan, claimed he “would always make everybody think there were possible roles on the table if we were to perform sexual acts or take off our shirts."
James Franco responded to the initial allegations from Twitter on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and again on Late Night With Seth Meyers, where he said, "the things I have read are not accurate."
Franco is yet to make an official statement regarding the new allegations in the LA Times article, however, his attorney, Michael Plonsker, disputed all allegations in the piece. Read the full LA Times report here.
If you have been sexually assaulted, there are resources to help you.
