Image Credit: Todd Williamson/WireImage.comMuch has been written lately about the adorably rubber-faced James Franco and his lark of a time on the soap opera General Hospital. (Quick rehash: Franco is playing a celebrated artist/serial killer named Franco. Sample dialogue from today’s episode: “I’m very fond of the number 66. I just like saying it. Sixty six. Sounds dirty.”) Franco, the real-life version, wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal shortly after his arc began explaining he was treating the experience as a guerrilla piece of performance art. “I disrupted the audience’s suspension of disbelief, because no matter how far I got into the character, I was going to be perceived as something that doesn’t belong to the incredibly stylized world of soap operas.” Reading his op-ed, I couldn’t help but wonder what his GH co-stars were thinking, especially since I’d guess those hard-working men and women don’t think of their jobs so lightly, as if they were amusing art projects.
I like the guy. James Franco makes me laugh and I enjoy watching him in movies. I think it’s completely charming that his own mother, an amateur actress flexing her muscles in her local comedy improv troupe, is now playing Franco’s mother on the soap. But then there’s the recent story in the New York Times reporting that Franco’s buddy Jeffrey Deitch, the newly installed director of the West Hollywood Museum of Contemporary Art, would be swanning into a couple of scenes on GH as well. How many more members of James Franco and Co. can I expect to chew up scenery on my afternoon soap?
What say you PopWatchers? Are these just the uptight hand-wringings of a girl who used to come home at lunch during grade school to watch the budding romance of Jennifer and Jack on Days of our Lives?
Read more:
James Franco’s back on ‘General Hospital’ — and that smile is still so creepy
I don’t watch GH…I’m a Young and the Restless fan, but I really appreciate EW covering a soap story! Thank you. These are some of the hardest working and talented actors in Hollywood (or New York), but they don’t get the credit they deserve.
I’m with Donna, total Y&R fan! My biggest goal in life is to get my hands on whatever Jeanne Cooper is taking and become immortal too. I swear that woman yelled out “He’s got a gun!” when Lincoln was shot.
I’m enjoying the charged atmosphere Franco brings. I have been a fan since the luke/Laura era and have really gotten tired of Sonny, Sonny, Sonny and more Sonny tantrums.
In one respect, I appreciate that James Franco is lending his talents to the soap world and discovering just how hard-working the daytime casts and crew are; on the other hand, don’t flit in pretentiously and dabble like it’s all a joke. That’s insulting.
At first, I thought his decision to go on GH was hilarious and clever. Now, given his recent comments, I think the guy carries an overblown sense of self-importance. Also, he’s being so insulting to the soaps’ regulars.
He brings nothing to the soap. Waste of time.
Loved Jack & Jennifer on Days — those were the days…. with Shane & Patsy, Patch & Kaleb when days was full of wonderful characters. Glad Aunt Vivine is back to bring trouble, sort of like Victor use to do on the show.
it’s Shane & Kim and Patch and Kayla….oh and it’s Vivian not Vivine..at least you got Victor’s name right
General Hospital is now The Sopranos Lite, chock full of terrible actors.
Seriously. When fans start rooting for an extended jail sentence for the lead male character (Sonny), something bad is happening. The focus on the little kids is just awful because those kids are awful actors — I am sure they are nice kids, but they are too young to be expected to carry a show. If you are going to bring back the great J. Jackson, then you should actually USE him for something other than Luke’s sounding board. And the mere idea that Luke would pursue T. Quartermaine while Laura is alive and sane somewhere in Europe is insulting. I used to Tivo GH but got to the point that I didn’t care about what happened next, so I quit. When I am curious as to what is happening, I check one of the recap websites. As a result I haven’t seen one minute of the Franco mess.
he was there to learn hopw they do what they do. I think he directed some episodes
Although his comments can certainly be perceived as more than a bit pretentious, I like to think the actors who work on these soaps (and have worked on these soaps for years) KNOW that the work they’re doing is “incredibly stylized” and don’t take themselves too seriously.
Most importantly, I think the actors are just glad that people in the mainstream media (or at least people who aren’t slavishly devoted to soaps) are talking about “General Hospital” at all.
I don’t understand how “incredibly stylized” is an insult. I thought he was talking about the whole package: lighting, acting, wardrobe, all of it; and how it’s so different from the way movies or prime-time TV is done in terms of the overall appearance of the show. And it sounded to me like he felt like HE was the outsider, ruining the effect in some way. Not pretentious at all, the way I read it.
OMG ME TOO!!! : “Are these just the uptight hand-wringings of a girl who used to come home at lunch during grade school to watch the budding romance of Jennifer and Jack on Days of our Lives?”
Actually, in every interview I’ve read or seen, James has been nothing but gracious and in awe of the amount of work and memorizing soap actors do.
“Are these just the uptight hand-wringings of a girl who used to come home at lunch during grade school to watch the budding romance of Jennifer and Jack on Days of our Lives?”
In a word, yes. GH had to know James had various motives for coming on the show. In return, they get the publicity and viewers James brings. I’d say it’s an even trade.
Soaps are a great way to get your foot in the door and eat regularly in NY. The schedule is the MOST grueling of any performance art. If you can survive and thrive then Broadway and H’wood willl be cakewalk. Unfortunately, if you do too well then you are stuck.
I am an avid GH viewer, and let me tell you, I think I can speak for most of us that he is a horrible addition to the cast even temporarily…maybe blame the writers, but Franco and Co. (his mom was horrid on yesterday’s epi) can take a hike. Besides, GH has enough characters that are underutilized…why add more?
Don’t speak for me, please! I have always loved that GH shakes it up a little with new (Ricky Martin & Eva Longoria) and established (Elizabeth Taylor & Rick Springfield) to their ranks. I like the Franco character and afterall, it’s only temporary! And, I think the acting on GH – from the cast of regulars – is superb in contrast to other soaps. These actors are under recognized and under appreciated for the grueling hours and fast paced schedules they keep. Be kinder to those that do a job you have never done before you criticize – from the writers to the actors – this has to be a tough job! Keep up the good work GH & company!! Some of us appreciate what you do on a DAILY basis!!
I agree 100%
I love James. He can do no wrong in my opinion. He’s stated in interviews that he’s learned a lot being on GH and even won his role in 127 hours because of his ability to memorize lines quickly (thanks to GH). He’s stated how difficult it is to work on the fast-paced soap and he’s given his GH co-stars a ton of credit for their hard work and professionalism. I don’t think he’s being pretentious…he just has a lot of interests and is exploring them all. I think it’s awesome.