Dave Franco has slowly built a successful career in Hollywood, ranging from funny supporting roles to serious roles and, more lately, directing films. His journey shows that he is committed to a wide range of tasks and has a distinct artistic vision. From his early TV roles to his new horror movie Together, Franco is still making his mark in the entertainment business.

Life and Work at the Beginning

Dave Franco was born David John Franco on June 12, 1985, in Palo Alto, California. He grew up with his two elder brothers, James and Tom. His mother, Betsy Lou, is a poet and writer. His father, Douglas Eugene Franco, owned a charitable organization. When Dave was a student at the University of Southern California, he thought of becoming a high school creative writing teacher. But his brother James's boss told him to take an acting class during his sophomore year, which got him interested in acting.

The TV show 7th Heaven gave Franco his first acting job in 2006. He went on to act in additional TV shows including Do Not Disturb and movies like Superbad (2007) and The Shortcut (2009). Cole Aaronson in the ninth season of the comedy series Scrubs from 2009 to 2010 was a big early role on TV. Critics talked about his performance on the show.

Breakout Roles and Success in the Mainstream

Franco's career got major momentum in the 2010s. His supporting part in the 2012 buddy comedy 21 Jump Street was a big step forward. This movie gave him a chance to show off his comedic timing and made him more well-known.

Important Roles in Comedy

Franco became a well-known comedian after 21 Jump Street with roles in movies like Neighbors (2014), where he acted with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron. He played the same character again in the 2016 sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. His inherent charm came through in these movies.

He was also in The Interview (2014) and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016). He got good accolades for being able to switch between different types of comedy.

@FilmFanatic: Dave Franco is a very talented actor since he can easily switch between humor and drama. A real chameleon on screen.

Getting into Drama & Thrillers

Franco broadened his range by acting in movies of different genres. He was in the horror-comedy Fright Night (2011) and the fantasy romance comedy Warm Bodies (2013). He became even more well-known for playing Jack Wilder in Now You See Me (2013) and its sequel Now You See Me 2 (2016), where he showed off his amazing card-throwing talents. He also played a role in the thriller Nerve in 2016.

He gave a great dramatic performance in 6 Balloons (2018) for Netflix, where he played a person who was addicted to drugs. He was also in the well-known movie If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) by Barry Jenkins.

James Franco directed The Disaster Artist, a biographical comedy-drama that was out in 2017. Dave played Greg Sestero, a young actor who becomes friends with the strange Tommy Wiseau. This part showed off his acting skills even more.

@CinemaCritic: Dave Franco always offers a special charm to his parts, from "Neighbors" to "Now You See Me." An actor who doesn't get enough credit but has a lot of potential.

Dave Franco: The Rental and Beyond as a Director

The Rental, a horror movie, was Dave Franco's first time directing a full-length film in 2020. He also worked with Joe Swanberg to write the script. Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Sheila Vand, and Jeremy Allen White are in the movie. The Rental is about two couples who rent a vacation property and start to think that someone is watching them. Most reviews of the movie were good, and it was interesting that it reached number one on both video-on-demand and box office lists in the same weekend.

The Making of the Rental

Franco said that his own fears about home-sharing ideas gave him the idea for The Rental. He wanted to make a scary movie based on real events, using ideas from classic horror movies. Franco was excited to work with the cast on his first time directing. He also said that the ending of the movie was left open on purpose so that there may be a sequel. He has a definite notion for how it should go on.

@HorrorHound: I just saw "The Rental" again. Dave Franco's directing is sharp and creepy. I can't wait to see what he directs next!

Together: A New Chapter in Horror

Michael Shanks directed Franco's most recent acting project, the spooky body horror movie Together. Dave Franco and Alison Brie play a couple who go to the country and run into a strange force that makes their bodies transform in ways that are scary. The Sundance Film Festival showed Together for the first time on January 26, 2025. Neon paid $17 million for the rights to distribute the film around the world, making it a big sell at the festival. Neon plans to release the movie in the US on July 30, 2025.

Together has gotten a lot of attention because critics have liked it so much. Many reviews gave it a perfect 100% "certified fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes. So far, this is the only horror movie from 2025 to get this rating. Michael Shanks, the director, joked that he "tortured Dave and Alison every day of this shoot, and they never complained," applauding their hard work. The movie mixes body horror with supernatural and psychological elements to explore themes of codependency and mental illness.

Working with Alison Brie, both on and off screen

Dave Franco and Alison Brie have worked together on a lot of projects since they got married in 2017. They have worked together on movies including The Disaster Artist and The Little Hours. Brie had a leading role in Franco's first movie as a filmmaker, The Rental. This is another example of their working relationship. In the new horror movie Together, they also star together.

Your private life and public image

Their real-life partnership often makes for a good on-screen chemistry. Brie has said in public that she is proud of Franco's work as a director. Critics and fans alike often talk about how well they get along.

@MovieBuffReviews: You can really feel the chemistry between Dave Franco and Alison Brie in "Together." It's apparent that their friendship in real life makes their performances better on television.

Even though he has a public career, Franco has kept his personal life mostly private. People have often called him shy and somber, which is different from some of the funny parts he has played.

Future Plans and Upcoming Projects

Dave Franco is still making movies and acting. He was recently nominated for an Emmy for his role as a guest star on the Apple TV+ show The Studio. Fans are looking forward to his comeback in Now You See Me 3, which comes after Together.

What You Can Expect from Now You See Me 3

There isn't much information on Now You See Me 3 yet, although Franco has said he wants to be a part of it again. He said that the ensemble has become "somewhat of a family" and that making the last movies was "one of the most fun times" he has ever had on a set. There is a script being worked on for the movie right now.

Franco also said that he and Alison Brie developed a romantic comedy while they were in quarantine. He hopes to direct it and have her star in it. This shows that he still wants to direct movies in a variety of genres.

The Whole Filmography of Dave Franco

Dave Franco has worked on a lot of different movies and TV episodes, which demonstrates how flexible he is as an actor and director.

Dave and James Franco's Legacy

People commonly think of Dave Franco as the younger brother of famous actor James Franco. James, who was born in 1978, started acting professionally earlier and became known for his role in the show Freaks and Geeks. Dave, who is seven years younger, wanted to make his profession different from his brother's at first. He said he wanted to "pave my own path" and not be seen as "riding his coattails." Even so, they have some physical qualities in common.

Dave's point of view changed throughout time. He chose to work with James on The Disaster Artist once he felt he had built up his own credentials. James and Dave have also worked together on videos for Funny or Die. James has been quite busy, but Dave has also been working steadily and taking on different duties.

@HollywoodInsider: Dave Franco is James Franco's brother, but he's also made a name for himself in Hollywood. Respect the work!