Busy Philipps Says James Franco Physically Assaulted Her on the Set of 'Freaks and Geeks'
In her new memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little, Busy Philipps alleges she was physically assaulted by James Franco—whom she calls a “fucking bully”—on the set of Freaks and Geeks.
According to an excerpt first obtained by Radar Online, Philipps claims that she and Franco were shooting a scene in which the actress says she was directed to “lightly hit Franco in the chest” while delivering a line. In response to the action, she says he broke character and lunged at her.
“He grabbed both my arms and screamed in my face, ‘DON’T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!’” she claims in the book, per Radar Online. “And he threw me to the ground. Flat on my back. Wind knocked out of me.”
She writes that he then stormed off and the crew was left to help her up. She says she sobbed to costar Linda Cardellini, who reportedly urged her to call her manager. The next day, she says, Franco apologized, after he was reportedly ordered to, but he apparently never received any consequences for his actions, Radar Online reported.