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American actor and director James Franco has agreed to pay $ 2.2 million in settlement of a lawsuit in which he faces a charge of sexual misconduct.
In October 2019, Sarah Tether-Kaplan and Tony Khal filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against Franco.
Both were taking acting lessons at Studio 4, which Franco had created for this purpose and opened in 2014 and which lasted three years before closing.
Both claimed that Franco engaged in sexual behavior towards Studio 4 students, charges described by Franco’s lawyers as “false and defamatory”.
More than one person participated in the trial against Franco, accusing him of taking advantage of his position and the temptation to offer opportunities to play roles in his films.
The students said they were scammed where they paid to learn acting while being exploited and intimidated.
In February, it was reported that Franco had reached an agreement with Tether-Kaplan and Khal, but the exact details were not revealed until Wednesday.
A judge must review the proposed settlement to decide whether or not to ratify it.
Once the court approves the proposed settlement, Tether-Kaplan will receive $ 670,500, of which $ 223,500 is deducted from legal fees.
She will also receive $ 223,500 with a deduction of $ 74,500 for lawyers.
The remaining $ 1.341 million will be divided among the other personalities involved in the filing of the complaint.
The deal also includes Franco’s production company, Rabbit Bandini, and his two business partners, Vince Jolevette and Jay Davis.
Once a court judge approves the settlement, all parties will issue a joint statement in which Franco continues to deny the allegations.
“inaccurate”
Tether-Kaplan and Tony Khal said in their original 2019 invitation that Franco sought to form a girl group to work with him, but that they “suffered his sexual exploitation, both personal and professional, on behalf of the ‘education”.
Franco has also been accused of abusing his influence by forcing female college students to participate in sex scenes and “compromising role opportunities” in his films.
The actor denied the charges against him at the time, and his lawyers called them “false.”
Tether-Kaplan had previously filed sexual misconduct charges against the actor and director, shortly after winning a Golden Globe for his 2018 film The Disaster Artist.
When the charges first surfaced, Franco said they were “inaccurate”.
Franco is particularly known for his work with Seth Rogen, in many films. Franco also directed several films, in which Rogen starred.
Franco was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars in 2011, for his role in “127 Hours”, directed by Danny Boyle.
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