Two actresses have sued James Franco and the acting and film school he founded, saying the actor intimidated his students into gratuitous and exploitative sexual situations. Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, former students at Franco’s Studio 24, filed the suit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The lawsuit says Franco pushed his students into performing in increasingly explicit sex scenes on camera in an “orgy type setting.” The women say roles in Franco’s films would be dangled to those who went along.
The suit also alleges “the school’s true goal was creating a constant pipeline of women Franco and others could exploit professionally and place in compromising sexual situations.” It also alleges that “Franco took the ‘casting couch’ to another level by creating a ‘casting class.'”
Tither-Kaplan spoke of her experience with Franco previously with the Los Angeles Times. Gaal is coming forward for the first time.
Franco’s publicist did not immediately respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment. He has previously called similar allegations inaccurate.
