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Dave Franco

Dave Franco

Highest Rated: 96% The LEGO Movie (2014)

Lowest Rated: 10% Unfinished Business (2015)

Birthday: Jun 12, 1985

Birthplace: Palo Alto, California, USA

Dave Franco's breakout roles were on "Scrubs" (NBC, 2001-2010) and the popular remake of "21 Jump Street" (2012). His Funny or Die videos with "Superbad" co-star Christopher Mintz-Plasse and brother James Franco highlighted his endearing snarky cool and sarcastic wit. These talents were also on display in his roles as a whipsmart teen on "Privileged" (The CW, 2008-09) and a Muppet-obsessed frat boy on "Greek" (ABC Family, 2007-2011). As he matured into a fully-grown character actor with films like "Now You See Me" (2013) and "The Little Hours" (2017), Franco didn't share his brother's sense of meta-theatricality, but his ambition and creativity were clearly a family trait. Born during a sunny California summer in 1985, Franco grew up the youngest of three brothers in a liberal family active in academic and artistic pursuits; his paternal grandmother Marjorie was a published author, and his mother Betsy was a writer and actress who encouraged her sons' creativity. Middle brother Tom went on to become a sculptor, while the eldest, James, became James Franco, Oscar-nominated actor, NYU professor and general creative oddball. In fact, it was James' manager who coerced Dave into taking a drama class at the University of Southern California, which led the college sophomore to switch gears from creative writing to acting. After making his debut on an episode of the long-running family drama "7th Heaven" (The CW, 1996-2007), Franco landed a small but memorable role in the breakout 2007 hit "Superbad," and was cast opposite Jerry O'Connell as a laidback bellhop in the quickly-cancelled sitcom "Do Not Disturb" (Fox, 2008). He portrayed Zach, a nerd with a romantic streak, on several episodes of the teen drama "Privileged" before landing a prime role in the final season of "Scrubs" as Cole Aaronson, a wealthy med student who buys his way into an internship at Sacred Heart Hospital. Though he was wary of being caught in his brother's ever-elongating shadow, Franco worked with James on several projects; in 2010 he directed and starred in a five-part video interview of the "127 Hours" (2010) star for Esquire, and the pair collaborated on several Funny or Die videos, including a satirical instructional series entitled "Acting with James Franco" (2009). That year also saw the end of the quirky medical sitcom "Scrubs" and the beginning of Franco's transition to Hollywood. His role as Zac Efron's best friend in the romantic drama "Charlie St. Cloud" (2010) kicked off a string of performances that highlighted his deft physicality and dry humor; chief among them were his obnoxious high school bully in "Fright Night" (2011) and his drug-dealer-with-daddy-issues in "21 Jump Street," starring Channing Tatum. After becoming zombie fodder in the undead romance "Warm Bodies" (2013), Franco signed on to play a bank-robbing magician in the star-studded caper "Now You See Me" (2013). Franco's next major role came in the box office hit "Neighbors" (2014), in which he played one of a group of frat boys who make life difficult for new parents Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. A massive success, it established Franco as his own man away from his older brother's coattails. Following a voice role in "The Lego Movie" (2014), Franco costarred with Vince Vaughn in the flop "Unfinished Business" (2015) before revisiting three of his key roles in "22 Jump Street" (2014), "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" (2016) and "Now You See Me 2" (2016). After starring in the social media thriller "Nerve" (2016), Franco changed courses to play a romantic lead in "The Little Hours" (2017), Jeff Baena's comedy based on a story in The Decameron about three nuns in a 14th century Italian convent. He next reteamed with his brother for "The Disaster Artist" (2017), a comedy-drama about the making of the notoriously awful film "The Room" (2003).

Highest rated movies

95% 68% If Beale Street Could Talk 94% 82% Love Lies Bleeding 91% 85% The Disaster Artist
86% 57% 6 Balloons
85% 83% 21 Jump Street 81% 73% Warm Bodies 78% 50% The Little Hours 73% 63% Neighbors

Filmography

Movies

Credit
94% 82% Love Lies Bleeding JJ (Character) $7.7M 2024
69% 60% Somebody I Used To Know Director,
Screenwriter,
Executive Producer
- 2023
56% 76% Day Shift Seth (Character) - 2022
88% 68% Zola Producer - 2020
73% 47% The Rental Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
$1.6M 2020
36% 60% 6 Underground Six (Character) - 2019
23% 38% Zeroville Montgomery Clift (Character) $8.0K 2019
95% 68% If Beale Street Could Talk Levy (Character) $14.9M 2018
86% 57% 6 Balloons Seth (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet 6 Balloons Unknown (Character) - 2018
91% 85% The Disaster Artist Greg Sestero (Character) $21.1M 2017
56% 46% The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Lloyd (Voice) $59.3M 2017
78% 50% The Little Hours Massetto (Character) $1.6M 2017
67% 66% Nerve Ian (Character) $38.6M 2016
33% 53% Now You See Me 2 Jack Wilder (Character) $65.0M 2016
64% 44% Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Pete (Character) $55.3M 2016
10% 27% Unfinished Business Mike Pancake (Character) $10.2M 2015
73% 63% Neighbors Pete (Character) $150.1M 2014
96% 87% The LEGO Movie Wally (Voice) $257.8M 2014
51% 70% Now You See Me Jack Wilder (Character) $117.7M 2013
81% 73% Warm Bodies Perry (Character) $66.4M 2013
85% 83% 21 Jump Street Eric Molson (Character) $138.4M 2012
No Score Yet 16% Bad Meat Tyler (Character) - 2011
20% 18% The Broken Tower Young Hart Crane (Character) - 2011
72% 59% Fright Night Mark (Character) $18.3M 2011
28% 60% Charlie St. Cloud Sully (Character) $31.1M 2010
No Score Yet 22% The Shortcut Mark (Character) - 2009

TV

Credit
56% 63% Krapopolis Broseidon (Guest Voice) 2023
No Score Yet 19% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2016-2018 2022-2023
No Score Yet 41% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2013 2016-2017 2022-2023
78% 67% Pam & Tommy Executive Producer 2022
92% 77% The Afterparty Xavier (Character) 2022
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Unknown (Character),
Guest
2016-2017 2022
No Score Yet 100% The Now Ed Poole (Character) 2021
90% 85% Easy Jeff (Character) 2016-2017 2019
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2016-2017 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2013-2014 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2013-2014 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2014 2016
83% 86% Scrubs Cole Aaronson (Character) 2009-2010
63% No Score Yet Privileged Unknown (Guest Star) 2008-2009
9% No Score Yet Do Not Disturb Unknown (Character) 2008
75% 65% Greek Gonzo (Guest Star) 2008