Actors Anonymous is a 2017 feature film adaptation of James Franco's novel of the same name (Actors Anonymous). The film explores the complex lives of two young actors pursuing stardom in Hollywood while struggling to escape their past. The ensemble cast includes James Franco, Eric Roberts, Emma Rigby, Scott Haze, Jake Robbins, Carmen Argenziano, and Horatio Sanz.
Produced by Rabbi Bandini Productions and Elysium Bandini Studios in collaboration with grad students at USC's School of Cinematic Arts, the film premiered at Cinequest and subsequently screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Contents
Cast
Scott Haze as Sean
Jake Robbins as Ben
James Franco as Jake Lamont
Eric Roberts as Sonny
Emma Rigby as Bree
Keegan Allen as Trey
Horatio Sanz as Juan
Carmen Argenziano as Mr. Smithson
Cynthia Murell as Maggie
Brit Manor as Karen
Steve Bannos as Marco
Kimberli Flores as Sabrina
Production
Actors Anonymous had an unconventional development process, crafted by a collective of eight writers and twelve directors, all graduate students at USC's School of Cinematic Arts. The project was supervised by John Watson, with James Franco playing a pivotal role not only as a cast member but also in a mentorship capacity.
Writers
Elizabeth Eccher
Nathan Ellis
Matthew Halla
Kaela Rae Jensen
Josh Litman
Theodore Martland
Alex Parslow
Osahon Tongo
Directors
Melanie Aitkenhead
Abi Damaris Corbin
Shaun Duffy
Justin S. Lee
Kelly Luu
Kevin Luu
Jess Maldaner
Leandro Tadashi
Juel Taylor
Jay Wolff
Kerry Yang
Julio Vincent Gambuto
Reception
Si Si Penaloza of Jetset Magazine attributed the film's conceptual coherence to "razor sharp film editing and a savvy checks and balances system between multiple directors."
Crossfader Magazine's Sergio Zaciu described the film as reminiscent of "La La Land, sans the glamor, and an absolutely gut-wrenching portrayal of loss, heartbreak, and defeat." He added that while "it isn't the most polished outing" and "the production value can seesaw between potent indie and flat lo-fi," as a launching pad for hopeful directors, "it succeeds with flying colors."
Novel
Published by Little A/New Harvest in 2013, Actors Anonymous is a novel by American author and actor James Franco that serves as the basis for the 2017 film adaptation. Comprising a series of interconnected short stories, the novel delves into the lives of actors in Los Angeles, structuring its chapters around the 12 Steps and the 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Some actors that appeared in the book trailer also had roles in the 2017 film, such as Jim Parrack and Scott Haze.