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James Franco Reveals Why He Decided to Co-Host Oscars in 2011 with Anne Hathaway

James Franco Reveals Why He Decided to Co-Host Oscars in 2011 with Anne Hathaway

James Franco is on the cover of Variety‘s latest issue.

Here’s what the 39-year-old actor had to share with the mag:

On turning 40: “I realize, ‘James, you’re 40.’ I have achieved all the things that I dreamed when I was younger. And realizing, ‘Oh, those things are not going to fill the hole.’ Do fewer things, and do things that you really love, and give them the attention they deserve.”

On why he quit Instagram: “It’s very liberating. I just got rid of it. When I first got on, it just felt silly. I treated it like it was a joke. You get in that weird seductive space where it feels private, but it’s also public. And you get hooked on the reaction… It’s sort of the way I see people like the Kardashians. They are staking out new ground, and what these spaces are. They are making a lot of money off of it. What will happen if I do that? There was some photo I did. I wasn’t naked. I’m sure Rihanna has posted a bunch more risqué photos. It was just the attitude of the photo. It was sweaty. My hand was in my boxers. It just looked gross.”

On hosting the Oscars with Anne Hathaway: “At the time I justified it to myself. ‘This will be an experiment. This will be weird.’ Part of me was so uncomfortable with the attention of being nominated, but also fear of losing, because everybody was talking about Colin Firth. I mean, I shouldn’t have been doing it. Honestly, I think the biggest criticism of me, it seemed like I was high or low energy. In my head, I was trying to be the straight man. I guess I just went too far or came across as the dead man.”

For more from James, visit Variety.com.

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Credit: Danielle Levitt/Variety
Posted to: James Franco, Magazine