Dave Franco Sets the Record Straight on Whether James Franco Launched His Career

Dave Franco has a busy year ahead and, yes, he hears the nepotism chatter. The youngest Franco brother is popping up all over the place, and he just addressed how much being James Franco's sibling did or did not help him get here.

The nepotism question

In a new interview with Bustle, Dave lays out his take pretty plainly: having a famous last name might open a door, but it will not keep you in the room.

"If I sucked, I would've disappeared very quickly."

He does not pretend the family connection never mattered. He says James helped him land an agent early on and helped set the stage. At this point, though, Dave says his brother is mostly just happy to see him take risks and try new things.

Some personal context here: Dave, 40, spends more time with his wife Alison Brie than with his brother these days. And if anyone wants to reduce him to just being Alison Brie's husband, his response is short and sweet: "It's worth it."

What he is working on

• Together: A body-horror film co-starring Alison Brie that premiered at Sundance in January.
• Regretting You: An adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel that is out now.
• Now You See Me: Now You Don't: The third film in the franchise, in theaters November 14, 2025 — nearly a decade after Now You See Me 2.

Between two recent projects and three total on the calendar for 2025, he is clearly leaning into a heavier workload. Not exactly a shocker that people are talking — but based on how he tells it, the name might have opened the door, and the work is what kept it open.