AceShowbiz - James Franco has opened up about the ending of his longtime friendship with Seth Rogen, following allegations of sexual misconduct against Franco in 2018. Franco said he had reached out to Rogen and tried to mend their relationship, but to no avail.

"I haven't talked to Seth," Franco stated in a candid interview with Variety. "I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it's over. And not for lack of trying. I've told him how much he's meant to me."

Rogen publicly distanced himself from Franco after sexual assault allegations levelled against him by multiple women. Franco's career took a significant hit following the accusations. He settled a lawsuit in 2021, agreeing to pay $2.2 million in damages. He also faced professional setbacks and public scrutiny.

Besides settling the lawsuit, Franco underwent therapy to address past behaviors. Now he's committed to embracing personal growth and change. "It is what it is. I've honestly moved past it. It was dealt with, and I got to change. So that's it, it's over," he said. "So I'm just trying to move on."

Instead of dwelling on the negative, he would rather focus on the bright side of being canceled, "And so as painful as it was - yes, of course rejection is painful, being told you're bad is painful. But ultimately that's kind of what I needed to just stop going the way I was going."

In a shift from his previous workaholic lifestyle, Franco now values personal balance and is grateful for the chance to focus on his inner well-being. He believes that his experiences have afforded him the opportunity to change for the better and to serve the projects he works on with a renewed sense of purpose.