Showbiz411

James Franco got great reviews today for his work in “Howl.” It’s just the beginning of his assault on the American public. Next comes Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours,” which will catapult him into the new Oscar face. For “Howl,” Franco will get Indie Spirit recognition, which means he’s going to be doing a lot of interviews soon. Here’s an exclusive I did with him the other night. Franco talks about his “D” in acting class at NYU. his “Saturday Night Live” documentary, and a summer job he had to Lockheed Aircraft. A nice, smart, self-effacing, articulate guy from a more or less normal home. Tom Hanks, your successor is here.

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.