James Franco Makes Rare Public Appearance With Girlfriend 5 Years After Sexual Misconduct Scandals

James Franco and his girlfriend Izabel Pakzad made a rare public appearance during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

The couple, who have been together since 2017, were seen leaving an afterparty at the Marriott on Thursday night, May 16, amidst the bustling annual festival in Cannes, France. Franco, 46, and Pakzad, 28, dressed to impress for the occasion, as the actor looked sharp in a black tuxedo, accessorized with a black bow tie and sunglasses. Pakzad complimented him in a black dress with chain straps and open-toed heels.

The couple first went public with their relationship in 2018, making their red carpet debut that same year. Earlier this year, the couple was photographed attending an event during Milan Fashion Week in January.

Franco's recent public appearances come in the shadow of ongoing controversies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a lawsuit alleged that Franco pushed students into performing increasingly explicit recorded sex scenes in an "orgy type setting," situations deemed unacceptable on regular film sets. The lawsuit claims Franco "sought to create a pipeline of young women who were subjected to his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name of education" and led many students to believe they would be considered for future film roles.

These incidents allegedly occurred in a master class on sex scenes taught by Franco at his film school, which operated from 2014 to 2017. The original lawsuit, filed in October 2019, accused Franco and his partners of "engaging in widespread inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students by sexualizing their power as a teacher and an employer by dangling the opportunity for roles in their projects."

At the time the lawsuit was filed, Franco's attorney, Michael Plonsker, denied the allegations. Despite the controversy, Franco and Pakzad continue to maintain their public relationship.