James Franco: Goblin Comes Full Circle

Handsome actor James Franco always lights up the room when he smiles yet he shyly looks down a lot when talking. Of course that just makes us like him more. James is back as Peter Parker's best friend Harry Osborn and nemesis the New Goblin in Spider-Man 3. This time around is a lot more physical with some great action sequences and more emotional angst between the two friends.

When James isn't appearing in period epics like Flyboys or Tristan & Isolde, he's doing indie films like The Dead Girl, An American Crime and Camille, with Sienna Miller. James is a flier and a student of literature and creative writing as well. His career was launched when he played James Dean and starred in "Freaks and Geeks" on TV. We caught up with the actor in Beverly Hills and sat down to get the details on his Spidey action, the fact that he originally auditioned for the Peter Parker/Spidey role, the development of the Harry character and his own career development, what it's like to wear effects make-up, what he's reading now and what's next for him.

TeenHollywood: Have you just been waiting to get to these big action moments in the Spider-Man films or aren't you more interested in the dramatic moments?

James: Well, I kind of expected it [the action]. In the comic books, Harry does take over for his father [the Green Goblin]. My feelings toward the movies have really changed. I love Sam [Raimi, the director] and I love working with him but when I first signed on, I didn't know what kind of movie it would be. I knew it was going to be a big blockbuster but I didn't realize the heart that he would put into it and the emphasis that he would put on developing the characters and the story. Before I'd seen the first one, I might have been reluctant to be a super hero because it would seem cheesy, after realizing what the movies were really like, I was happy to do it.

TeenHollywood: What do you like about the development of Harry's character over these films and we forgot how you got the role in the first place.

James: Well, people bring up the fact that I auditioned for Peter Parker and I tested and it was a huge test. It must have been thousands of dollars just for this test. There were cranes and sets and they kept me waiting about six weeks. And then Tobey got the role and nobody believes when I say that I think he's perfect for the role. I think he has done a better job than I would do in that role. And, but after the test, after Tobey got it, I guess Sam and I got along well enough that he wanted me in the movie. And as far as I know he didn't audition anybody else for Harry and he just called me up and asked me if I wanted to play that role. And, obviously it's a smaller role, but they've given me a lot to do. It's one of the more dramatic parts. He goes through a lot in these films. And, I've been very happy with it. He's almost a parallel to Peter. I lose a father. He loses a father figure, his uncle. And then especially in this third one he's avenging his uncle's death, and I'm doing the same-I'm avenging my father's death. They've given me a lot and [Harry] develops through all three films. His arc is not completed until this last film. And, so, in every movie he's different. It's the same path but it's further along in the development. And, it makes doing another movie more interesting.

TeenHollywood: We can't talk about the details but do you like the redemptive ending of this film as far as the Harry character is concerned?

James: I think it's perfectly wrapped up. I mean Harry's major conflict, through all the films, is between his loyalty to his father and his loyalty to Peter and the friendship with Peter. First he decides he's going to avenge his father then finds out that the person that killed his father is his best friend, and he has to work through that and now he's decided that he's going to kill his best friend regardless of their friendship. Once that's resolved, I don't see that there's a lot more for Harry to do that could start a new arc. That's where sequels and franchises get into a little bit of trouble; you have a character and they have a well-thought out story, and then that ends and you want to do more with them and so you say, 'well, let's put 'em in some other crazy situation' and a lot of times, it's not as good. So I think it's wrapped up very, very well.

TeenHollywood: Is this the first time you've worn heavy effects makeup in any film? And, if so, did it hinder your acting or help you?

James: It's the first time I've worn that large of a prosthetic. It's a pain to put on, you know it takes a couple hours. I think they did a great job. It feels kind of like a raw piece of meat. And they glue it on. I lie there and have to get in [into the make-up chair] a couple of hours earlier and I watch a movie and they go to work, and then they paint it but I don't think it really inhibited my performance at all. You kind of just forget about it except when it's pertinent to the scene.

TeenHollywood: Could you see out of both eyes?

James: [Harry] gets hit with a pumpkin bomb so I guess it's kind of acidic or something. It burns my face and it also I guess burned my eye. So they made the right eye a different color. They faded the pupil and made it bluish. And so that required a contact that went over my whole eye and it was a little difficult to see out of that.

TeenHollywood: How much of the action scenes in the film are actually you and not a stunt guy or computer-generated?

James: A lot of it was me. I think, if you watch that aerial battle in the beginning, I filmed that for a month and a half and then, even after moving on from that scene, we'd go back and shoot additional shots. So I did a fair amount of that. Most of the computer-generated replicas of me are used for the wide shots, but all the stuff in close struggling with Peter is usually me. And then there's some shots where I'm wearing a mask and they'd want to use a stuntman. I don't know why. It's not especially dangerous work but I suppose I was shooting a different scene and they wanted to use a stuntman.

TeenHollywood: I guess it must be difficult to do stuff like that while hanging on wires?

James: Yeah, well, it's not especially strenuous. It's very time-consuming. The process involves a lot of setup and very little shooting. So I had to put on the suit, which takes about a half an hour. The camera crew has to setup for about an hour and then the stunt team has to rehearse whatever move we're doing, and then they have to strap me in the wires and raise me up, and then everybody gets in line and coordinated and the fans start blowing air (laughter). And, um, then they say 'action!' and then it's about like 20 seconds or less [in the finished film]. I do like one move, and they cut, and then get down and do the whole process over again. It takes a little athletic ability to appear that I'm balanced on the board. You have to have some balancing even though you're wired in and look good doing moves, I guess.

TeenHollywood: You have one just normal, down and out fist fight.

James: That's right. That was a little different. That was more a traditional fight. We choreographed that and we'd do a few more moves per shot, and Tobey and I would have to choreograph it before we shot it and work out the punches and the misses and that kind of thing. But, on a normal movie, I probably would have shot that for a week at most. I guess they just take their time and make sure that everything is absolutely perfect. The bigger the action scene the more spectacular it is, the longer it takes to shoot, the more meticulous it is.

TeenHollywood: When the Spidey films have new characters come in, does that effect you in any way? Like new people trying to join a club?

James: No, I didn't really have many scenes with Topher [Grace] and Thomas [Hayden Church]. But I saw them in the trailer, I really like them. I knew Thomas a little from before, just from around, I guess. And, I think they were welcomed. And I think because they're villains, they have their own separate storylines, and so a lot of their scenes are just separate from the main actors. I welcomed them but I didn't have many scenes with any of the villains other than Willem [DaFoe] and he was part of the first one from the beginning.

TeenHollywood: Has doing these movies changed you?

James: I think I've changed a lot. I think the first one, we filmed it about six years ago. It was the largest movie that I'd ever done at that point. We did the world premiere in Japan and Sam introduced all the actors onstage and, for me he said, 'and James Franco who I feel like I've grown up with...he's changed so much since the first film.' I worked hard on the first film. I did more research before the first film than on any of them. I literally read hundreds of the Spider-Man comic books and did funny things like went to prep school and tried to figure out what Harry's kind of background was and that kind of thing. I was a young serious actor and I had my doubts about doing a comic book movie but there's a lot of responsibility put on the actors to make sure that their roles are being portrayed properly and that the arcs work.

TeenHollywood: So, it's really collaborative acting in these films?

James:Yeah. I remember after the second one premiered, it was like a year or so before we started filming the third one, and we'd meet and talk about the character and Sam would let me help him develop the character. Another thing we do is even after the script is written and we're shooting, there's still so much discussion, especially with Tobey who loves to go over things and really make it perfect. I remember sitting on set for a couple scenes and they weren't ready and so it would just be Tobey, Sam and I sitting on a couch in the middle of the set and we were just working out the scene. I think it was necessary-they really wanted to get it right. Now I take that attention to detail that both Sam and Tobey have into other films and that collaborative process and I really try to have that relationship with my other directors. If you allow people to contribute they'll feel more like a part of the final product and feel like they have more of a hand in it and they'll give their best-so I try and do that.

TeenHollywood: What else have you learned over your career?

James: As a young actor I wasn't sure what the whole process was like and then you learn that making movies is a group process. As an actor, unless you have a certain stature or are producing the movie, you have very little control over the final product, and so I had to really learn how to let go of the movie once I was done with my work. It's a difficult thing to put so much time into a role and so much research and then shoot for months and then have it come out and it's not what you expected, and then have to face the press. It's a very difficult thing. And so that was a little depressing. I think I've learned to deal with it a little better. I think one of the major things that helped is just doing small films, and even if I had a small part I went into them knowing that I believed in the project, and it didn't matter if it was a financial hit or not, I just was happy to be a part of it.

TeenHollywood: You had a book with you when you walked in. What is it and is it for your class?

James: Yes, that one is 'The Knight of the Burning Pestle'. It's a Jacobean drama. One of the things that helped me when I was depressed last year was I went back to school. I went to UCLA when I first came to LA but I left to act. I had some roles in movies and I left. And about a year and a half ago I went back so...it's for one of my classes.

TeenHollywood: Are your fellow classmates awestruck when they see you in class?

James: [smiles] Um...they underplay their reaction, I think.

TeenHollywood: Aren't you shooting a comedy? Kind of new for you.

James: Yeah, The Pineapple Express is a little different. I'm filming it right now. I've actually had to go on a little break so I could be here. I wanted to work with my old friends from "Freaks and Geeks", Judd Apatow is producing and Seth Rogan was a freak with me in that show. When I had did "Freaks and Geeks", it was early in my career, and I didn't realize what a great environment that was. I took it for granted and, after working on a bunch of movies, I realized how great that experience was so I wanted to do this movie so I'd be around those people again and also just do a comedy. It's hard to find one that is good. One that you're not making a jackass out of yourself in for no reason and it's not even funny.

TeenHollywood: Does "Pineapple" also have some action?

James: It's a comedy but it's also an action movie. Part of the joke of it is the action is very real. You know you're with a couple of goofballs and the situation becomes very serious or at least the action does. And, the budget on that is nothing compared to this one. I got injured on that. It's more dangerous to do low- budget action [he laughs].

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.