Did you catch last year’s Academy Awards hosted by Anne Hathaway and what appeared to be a stoned James Franco? Critics and skeptics talked for months afterwards about what really went on yet no one seemed to find a definite answer as to why Anne Hathaway was so bubbly and James Franco was so, well… mellowed out. Now, James is finally speaking out about what really happened. James talks about a lot of topics from the night, the first being why he felt so discouraged to be there in the first place.

It’s hard to talk about because it’s like assigning blame — not a fun thing to do. For three or four weeks we shot the promos and the little film that played in the opening. In the last week, when we really started focusing on the script for the live show and did a run-through, I said to the producer, I don’t know why you hired me, because you haven’t given me anything. I just don’t think this stuff’s going to be good.

Okay, so instead of working with what you have and making it great for you, you just decided to pass the buck and look completely uninterested at the Oscars? That sounds like a major copout to me. But, James has more to say so I’ll save my entire judgement after you see what else he has to say. Next, James talks about being forced to wear drag on stage.


I was so pissed about that I was deliberately going to fall onstage and hopefully my dress would fall off or something — they couldn’t blame that on me; I was in high heels. The plan had been that I was going to sing as Cher and then Cher was going to come out onstage; that got axed when Cher and the song from ‘Burlesque’ weren’t nominated. I told them, ‘Look, this is the thing people are going to talk about, the images they will take away from the show.’ [Eventually] I just didn’t want to fight anymore, even when they said, ‘You’ll come out as Marilyn Monroe. It’ll be funny.’ Me in drag is not funny.

I agree with James on this one. As funny as the gag is to see a man in drag, I think more would have liked to see Franco in something more revealing and were probably praying that his dress would fall off. So after the show ended and people went crazy over why James seemed so disinterested, Franco went into a little bit of a hiding period, but now, he opens up about how he felt about the criticism.

As far as having low energy or seeming as though I wasn’t into it or was too cool for it, I thought, okay Anne is going the enthusiastic route. I’ve been trained as an actor to respond to circumstances, to the people I’m working with, and not force anything. So I thought I would be the straight man and she could be the other, and that’s how I was trying to do those lines. I felt kind of trapped in that material. I felt, this is not my boat. I’m just a passenger, but I’m going down and there’s no way out.

To be fair, to be put beside the overly enthusiastic Anne Hathaway who acted like Speedy Gonzales the entire time would make anyone look mellow and disinterested. It’s too bad you didn’t explain this earlier so that people would have stopped blaming it on the ganja. Oh well, better luck next time James. Hopefully, this hasn’t ruined your chances of future hosting gigs (but unfortunately, I think it has).

Do you buy James Franco’s story about the Oscars? Sound off below.

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