James Franco - Biography

James Franco's youth, dark good looks and wiry athletic build made him a suitable choice to play sports heroes as well as rebellious burnouts, a particularly advantageous versatility for an up and coming actor in the midst of a film and television teen boom. Best known for his breakthrough starring role on "Freaks and Geeks" (1999-2000), NBC's realistic look at high school life circa 1980, Franco made his television debut with a role in the 1999 NBC miniseries "To Serve and Protect", following a family with five generations of police officers in its ranks. He next appeared on an episode of NBC's "Profiler" before landing a role on the hour-long "Freaks and Geeks". On the series, Franco portrayed Daniel, a nihilistic "freak" whose troubled family life forces him to grow up fast and see the world with a resigned fatalism. The actor's brooding take on the character won over former good girl Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) on the show, and would no doubt win him the admiration of young viewers.

Franco first appeared on the big screen in the charming 1999 Drew Barrymore vehicle "Never Been Kissed" and solidified his appeal with a starring role as popular jock Chris Campbell in the high school-set "Cyrano de Bergerac" update "Whatever It Takes" (2000). In 2001, Franco was cast as the legendary film actor James Dean in the TNT biographical feature "James Dean." His portrayal of the rebellious heart throb earned Franco (in 2002), his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie as well as his first Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television.

Some of Franco's other memorable features include the blockbuster hit "Spider Man" (2002) and its sequel "Spider-Man 2" (2004), in which he played Harry Osborn, Peter Parker's best friend and romantic rival, as well as the son of the villainous Green Goblin (Willem DeFoe); the lead in Nicolas Cage's directorial debut "Sonny" (2002); the lackluster crime drama feature "City By The Sea," (2002) which also co-starred Robert DeNiro; and the Robert Altman-directed ensemble of the ballet-themed "The Company" (2003).