While James Franco attempts to make a comeback, brother Dave Franco is continuing on with his career, keeping quiet about his brother's status. Dave seems to be headed in the opposite trajectory, enjoying a strong marriage alongside Alison Brie, while enjoying big time success on Apple TV's, The Afterparty.
In the following, we'll take a look at Dave Franco's Hollywood transition, going from R-rated comedies, to an Apple TV series that's experiencing some strong reviews.
Dave Franco has a theory as to why he stopped doing films like Neighbors and 21 Jump Street. It seems like it might've been for the best.
Dave Franco's New Apple TV Show The Afterparty Is Getting Strong Reviews
After one seasons and eight episodes, Apple TV's murder mystery comedy The Afterparty is off to a great start. Rotten Tomatoes awarded the show a 90% approval rating while IMDb also rated the show strongly, with 7.2 stars. It is a different role and look entirely for Dave Franco.
Speaking with Variety, the actor revealed that fans have a hard time recognizing him in the series.
“People online who don’t recognize me in this part are wondering, ‘What is going on there? I don’t want to be insensitive, but this guy just made a music video about how he’s going to live forever and then he actually died after making this?'” Franco tells Variety.
“I just love that people are taking Xavier seriously as a musician.”
The role is truly unlike anything Dave Franco has ever done. The actor revealed that he really took on the role because of director, Chris Miller. The two worked together in the past, joining forces in projects like 21 Jump Street and the Lego movie.
Alongside GQ, Franco admitted the role changed his career and relaunched his dedication towards acting.
"This character was one of the most extreme parts I've ever played. I was taking some big swings and putting myself out on a limb," he tells GQ.
"I was able to do that because I trust our director, Chris Miller, who I've worked with for many years on the Jump Street movies and the Lego movies. Honestly, this reinvigorated my genuine love of acting. Not that the feeling ever went away, but just I remembered how fun it can be."
So how did the actor land back on television? Well, Franco has a theory as to why he stopped chasing R-rated comedies.
Dave Franco Walked Away From Films Like Neighbors Due To The Low Demand Nowadays
When thinking about Dave Franco's career, most associate the actor with R-rated comedy roles in the 2010s, in memorable films like 21 Jump Street and Neighbors. Given that these films made a fortune at the box office, fans might be wondering why Franco stepped away from the genre?
Well, according to the actor, it simply was not his decision, and instead, it was the audience. According to Franco, these films are not in demand, especially compared to the 2010s.
Franco believes this has a lot to do with platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
"Some of my friends think it’s because of YouTube and Instagram. People can get their hits of comedy in these thirty second bursts, where they can see real people having real pratfalls, where they’re getting hit in the nuts with random objects."
"They can get their comedy really quickly and easily now. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I wish I had the answer for you. I really miss the times when there were a lot of R-rated comedies."
Despite the outcome, Franco appears to be doing more than fine in his new role.
Dave Franco Is Also Working In A Directorial Role Behind The Camera On Different Projects
Along with his projects in an acting role, Dave Franco is also keeping active behind the camera, taking on a directorial position in films like The Rental and Somebody I Used to Know. Franco has enjoyed the experience, especially when it comes to working alongside talented people.
"The smartest thing I did on both movies was surround myself with really talented people who are also very nice and very hardworking. It took a long time to put those teams together, but when you do your due diligence, and make sure everyone is there for the right reasons, it makes your job as a director so much easier," he told GQ.
In his late 30s, Dave Franco clearly still has a lot to give, with a new reinvigorated attitude.
