Disaster Artist's Charlyne Yi Tried To Quit Over James Franco Allegations
Charlyne Yi, who acted alongside James Franco and Seth Rogen in The Disaster Artist, announces she tried to quit the film due to allegations about Franco being a sexual predator. She played the character Safoya in the film. The Disaster Artist hit theaters in 2017 and performed admirably in the box office, adding to Franco's growing portfolio and earned him more credibility as a filmmaker.
Directed by and starring Franco, the biographical comedy-drama follows the story of actor Tommy Wisseau and his journey to creating the cult classic movie The Room (2003). Dave Franco portrayed Tommy's friend and business partner Greg Sestero. The Disaster Artist was rewarded with Academy Award nominations along with Franco receiving a Golden Globe for his performance. The film co-stars Zac Efron, Josh Hutchinson, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, and Jacki Weaver.
Yi posted her statement to Instagram, detailing her experience on the set of The Disaster Artist. She explains how she tried to "break the contract" due to the cumulative stories that had been circulating which alleged that Franco was a predator. When she first tried to quit, Yi reveals "they tried to bribe [her] with a bigger acting role" which was "the exact opposite of what [she] wanted." Her post incriminates producer Seth Rogen, who she refers to as one of the many "enablers" that should be held "accountable." Check out Yi's statement, below:
The story Yi shares about her experience on The Disaster Artist holds a lot of weight. Recollections such as hers are not new in Hollywood and such claims tend to offer a glimpse at a potential truth, which is often heavily guarded. The allegations against Franco are a drop in the proverbial bucket. But the sad fact is that few of these examples become viral like the highly-publicized cases against Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and, most recently, Armie Hammer.
Yi ends her caption about The Disaster Artist and Franco by recognizing that this month is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This post is the latest example of how these issues should be the focus of constant education, as, a lot of the times, the instances of alleged abuse point to a system that's built on certain broken ideals of the past. Learning how to do better by co-workers, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is the first step in hopefully minimizing future instances of such abuse.
Source: Charlyne Yi