James Franco had to work hard to make a name for himself. The Oscar-nominated actor phoned into On Air With Ryan Seacrest on Friday, December 8, and recalled his rise to fame included a stint working at McDonaldâs.
Considering Franco doesnât take himself too seriously, the topic come up after Ryan asked if he ever had any hardships leading up to his career that made him forever grateful.
âThe best example of this is Bryan Cranston,â Franco mused. âIt took him awhile to become the Bryan Cranston we know and I think it just made him so grateful.â
He continued: âI did have a not so great job. A long time ago I was at one point a young student at UCLA studying literature and I wanted to be an actor and I left. My parents said they wouldnât support me if I didnât go to the university and I couldnât get a job at a restaurant â I was just a schlubby 18-year-old with no work experience â and somebody said, âYouâre too good to work at McDonaldâs?â And I was like I guess not.â
Franco concluded that he ended up working at the fast food chain and while it was only for two or three months, it taught him a lot.
âIt was a great lesson,â Franco said. âI really wanted to be an actor and as soon as I took responsibility for myself I think it really changed my energy and I donât think it was disconnected to any success I had as an actor after that.â
The Pineapple Express funnyman is now generating Oscar buzz for what is considered his biggest gamble yet: The Disaster Artist, a film about eccentric director Tommy Wiseau and his notoriously horrible film The Room.
Listen to the full interview above to hear more from Franco, including all the buzz about his latest film, out in theaters now.