James Franco is trying to work on a better work/life balance.
The 47-year-old actor and director admitted he went a “little crazy for a while” when he started directing his own movies as there was no limit to how much work he could do but he has not cut down on his “obsession” and brought balance to his life.
He told Variety: “Let’s just say I was a little crazy for a while.
“I love movies so much and there were so many stories I wanted to tell. I went back to film school to learn how to direct [and saw]: ‘I’m no longer the person who has to wait for them to call me to be in their movie. I can make my own films!’ This started a whole other chapter.
“I still have that: that obsession. Let’s call it that, because I’m the kind of person who can become really obsessive. But I’ve also learnt it’s good to have balance. I had to learn its importance.”
James also revealed that his celebrated role in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, almost never happened.
Speaking at Italy’s Torino Film Festival, he said: “Danny wanted to make it but nobody else on his team did. Everyone said it would be a disaster.”
The film tells the story of Aron Ralston, who became trapped by a boulder in a Utah canyon.
James said: “Just to state the obvious, but normally, when you’re making a movie, you have multiple characters. But here, because he’s trapped in a canyon, there’s no one to interact with. It was different to anything else I’ve ever done as an actor.
“Danny Boyle has never done anything like it and neither has [cinematographer] Anthony Dod Mantle. Nobody’s made a movie like that! But despite it being about just one guy, all alone, it’s still very dynamic. It feels like an action film.”
