James Franco, an American actor and filmmaker, faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations in 2018, which led to him stepping away from acting for a period. In 2021, Franco settled a sexual misconduct lawsuit for $2.2 million after he and his business partner were accused of engaging in inappropriate and sexually charged behavior towards female students at the acting school they once operated. Franco admitted to sleeping with his students and to undergoing addiction treatment. Despite the allegations, Franco has recently returned to acting, with his first project since 2019 being the coming-of-age period film "Me, You" directed by Bille August.