CHAPTER 2

James
James Franco:
Franco: A
A Man
Man of
of
Many
Many Talents
Talents

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2
Preview Questions

• Who is your favorite actor?

• What talents does he or she have?

3
 Actor
Actor James
James Franco
Franco hashas many
many talents.
talents. It’s
It’s true
true he’s
he’s
an
an actor,
actor, butbut he
he also
also does
does many
many other
other things.
things.
Franco
Franco is is aa writer,
writer, anan artist,
artist, aa model,
model, aa filmmaker,
filmmaker,
and
and aa student.
student. Franco’s
Franco’s story
story began
began inin the
the late
late
1970s
1970s nearnear SanSan Francisco,
Francisco, California,
California, where
where he he
grew
grew up up with
with twotwo younger
younger brothers.
brothers. He He was
was shy,shy, but
but
in
in high
high school
school he he tried
tried acting
acting andand liked
liked it.
it. In
In 1996,
1996,
he
he started
started college
college as as an
an English
English major.
major. But
But after
after he
he
took
took classes
classes for for aa year,
year, he
he quit.
quit. He
He was
was studying
studying
acting
acting when
when he he decided
decided to to move
move toto Hollywood.
Hollywood. As As
soon
soon asas hehe arrived
arrived in in Hollywood,
Hollywood, he he got
got anan acting
acting
role
role in
in the
the TVTV show,
show, Freaks
Freaks and and Geeks.
Geeks.
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 In
In 2001,
2001, he he starred
starred inin the
the TVTV movie
movie James
James Dean
Dean
and
and won
won aa Golden
Golden Globe
Globe award.
award. Over
Over the
the next
next ten
ten
years,
years, hehe acted
acted inin many
many films
films including
including Spider-Man
Spider-Man I,I,
II,
II, and
and III;
III; Milk;
Milk; and
and 127
127 Hours.
Hours. While
While he
he was
was
making
making thesethese movies,
movies, Franco
Franco completed
completed hishis
bachelor’s
bachelor’s degree
degree andand started
started fourfour master’s
master’s
programs.
programs. He He also
also had
had an an art
art show
show in
in New
New York
York
City,
City, made
made aa documentary
documentary film, film, and
and modeled
modeled forfor
Gucci.
Gucci.
Many
Many people
people are
are watching
watching Franco’s
Franco’s success
success and
and
asking,
asking, “What’s
“What’s next
next for
for this
this talented
talented man?”
man?”
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Reading Comprehension

Read the statements. Write T (true) or F (false). Correct the

false statements.
is
F 1. James Franco used to be an actor.
____
college
F 2. He was in high school when he decided to
____
move to Hollywood.
T 3. While he was acting in movies, he was also
____
a student.
modeled for
F 4. He made a documentary about Gucci.
____

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GRAMMAR Complete the sentences with the words in
parentheses. Use the simple past or the past
PRACTICE progressive form.

Naomi Watts
grew up in
1. The actress Naomi Watts (grow up) _________
England.

2. She was living in Australia when she (take)

took
_________ her first acting class.

was
3. Her first big film (be) ________ David Lynch’s
Mulholland Drive.

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GRAMMAR Complete the sentences with the words in
parentheses. Use the simple past or the past
PRACTICE progressive form.

Naomi Watts
was making the film King
4. While she (make) ___________
Kong, she fell but wasn’t badly hurt.

5. She acted in the film The International after she

had her second child.
(have) __________

won
6. She (win) __________ an award for her role in 21
Grams.

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