'The Deuce' Keeps James Franco for Season 2

The show's staff says the actor has been nothing but professional, despite outside claims of sexual misconduct.

February 12, 2018

It doesn’t appear as though allegations of sexual misconduct are going to stop James Franco’s career. The actor will indeed be returning for a second season of the HBO drama The Deuce, as confirmed by show writer Megan Abbott. She told reporters at the Writers Guild Awards in New York City on Sunday that Franco would “of course” be coming back next season. The 39-year-old actor plays twin brothers Vincent and Frankie Martino on the 1970s period show.

Franco has denied all allegations against him. In interviews with late night televisions hosts Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, the actor quietly expressed shock and dismay that his accusers felt the way they did, but he has chosen to stay relatively mum on the issue. He told Colbert, "In my life, I pride myself on taking responsibility for things that I've done. I have to do that to maintain my well-being. … I do it whenever I know that there's something wrong or needs to be changed. I make it a point to do it.”

Co-creator and executive producer of The Deuce David Simon put forth a statement claiming the network had not received any complaints against the actor. “In our experience, he was entirely professional as an actor, director, and producer,” Simon wrote.

The allegations cropped up when Franco won a Golden Globe for Best Performance for his self-directed work in The Disaster Artist. Shortly after the ceremony, the Los Angeles Times published the accounts of five women accusing the actor of inappropriate behavior. Some have speculated that the fallout is the reason Franco was not nominated for an Oscar this year.