James Franco on Being "Obsessive" and His Oscar-Nominated Turn in '127 Hours': 'Everyone Said It Would Be a Disaster'
In an exclusive interview at the Italy's Torino Film Festival, James Franco revealed that he became so immersed in his role as Aron Ralston in Danny Boyle's 2010 biographical drama "127 Hours" that it took him to a state of "obsessive" mode. The film, which tells the true story of Ralston's near-fatal encounter with a boulder in a Utah canyon, was initially met with skepticism by many on set.
"I'm not gonna lie, nobody believed in this movie," Franco said, recalling how his first meeting with Boyle didn't go well. "Danny wanted to make it, but nobody else on his team did. Everyone said it would be a disaster." However, when Ralston's own video camera footage became available, the filmmakers realized that they could tell the story in a unique and compelling way by externalizing the character's inner thoughts.
To prepare for his role, Franco underwent an intense physical transformation, including recreating Ralston's horrific predicament in front of the camera. "He said: 'Look, you've just been trapped... I want you to do everything you can to try to get out.' So I kept going and going, and going," Franco recalled.
Franco's commitment to his role paid off, as he scored his only Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Ralston. "At that time, it was almost too much to take in," he said, describing the experience as "so impactful."
In hindsight, Franco reflected on how his obsession with filmmaking had led him down a path of creativity and self-discovery. After completing "127 Hours," he went back to film school to learn how to direct and has since become a director himself, citing an "obsession" that continues to drive him.
"It's not just about the movies themselves, but the process of making them... I've learned that it's good to have balance," Franco said, acknowledging that his all-consuming passion for filmmaking had taken him to dark places in the past.
In an exclusive interview at the Italy's Torino Film Festival, James Franco revealed that he became so immersed in his role as Aron Ralston in Danny Boyle's 2010 biographical drama "127 Hours" that it took him to a state of "obsessive" mode. The film, which tells the true story of Ralston's near-fatal encounter with a boulder in a Utah canyon, was initially met with skepticism by many on set.
"I'm not gonna lie, nobody believed in this movie," Franco said, recalling how his first meeting with Boyle didn't go well. "Danny wanted to make it, but nobody else on his team did. Everyone said it would be a disaster." However, when Ralston's own video camera footage became available, the filmmakers realized that they could tell the story in a unique and compelling way by externalizing the character's inner thoughts.
To prepare for his role, Franco underwent an intense physical transformation, including recreating Ralston's horrific predicament in front of the camera. "He said: 'Look, you've just been trapped... I want you to do everything you can to try to get out.' So I kept going and going, and going," Franco recalled.
Franco's commitment to his role paid off, as he scored his only Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Ralston. "At that time, it was almost too much to take in," he said, describing the experience as "so impactful."
In hindsight, Franco reflected on how his obsession with filmmaking had led him down a path of creativity and self-discovery. After completing "127 Hours," he went back to film school to learn how to direct and has since become a director himself, citing an "obsession" that continues to drive him.
"It's not just about the movies themselves, but the process of making them... I've learned that it's good to have balance," Franco said, acknowledging that his all-consuming passion for filmmaking had taken him to dark places in the past.
James Franco is so extra lol i mean i feel bad for the dude he went through some crazy stuff for "127 Hours" but at the same time he's like 10 steps ahead of everyone else in the film game now 
i love that he became obsessive over his role and it paid off big time 
but yeah balance is key right? too much obsession can be toxic even for creatives 
! He's talking about how they realized the movie was gonna be a disaster but then his own footage changed everything 
. And can we talk about his transformation? 4 months of intense physical prep = insane result 
! Anyway, it makes sense that he'd go on to become a director after something like this... I mean, who wouldn't wanna make movies all day? 
Here's the thing: 
87% of actors in Oscar-nominated films were nominated for their directing work too. And did you know that James Franco is now one of the highest-paid directors on IMDB? 
The man's got skills! 
i'm like totally fascinated by james franco's story. how he got so immersed in that role and just went full-on obsessive mode is wild. like, who needs a social life when you're trying to bring someone else's true story to life on screen? 
. i can relate to wanting to push yourself too far in your craft, but balance is key 
. i'm glad he took those dark places and learned from them. now we get to see what he's working on next 
its not just about being obsessed, its about having a passion that drives you to create something truly special 
. but what really got me is how that obsession with filmmaking took him to a whole new level of creativity and self-discovery 
. i mean, who wouldn't want to go back to film school and learn to direct themselves? 
it's all about finding balance, right? not just chasing that Oscar high again 
