James Franco could have been a fixture on That '70s Show, since the actor auditioned to portray a key character featured in the series. The Fox period sitcom ran for eight seasons, from 1998 until 2006, while depicting the lives of a group of teens living in the mid-to-late-1970s. Here's who Franco auditioned to play and how it led him to a similar role.
Prior to the debut of That '70s Show, Franco had one acting credit, appearing in a guest spot on the crime drama series Pacific Blue. Shortly after, he received his breakout TV role the same year he acquired his first film gig in Never Been Kissed. Franco then accumulated dozens upon dozens of acting credits under his belt, with films like Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Tristan & Isolde, Flyboys, Pineapple Express, 127 Hours, Spring Breakers, This Is the End, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and many others. Franco also made his directorial debut with The Ape and continued working behind the camera. Even though the actor made a transition to movies, he had continued appearing on the small-screen, with stints on General Hospital, The Mindy Project, Angie Tribeca, 11.22.63, and most recently, The Deuce.
Before breaking into the world of acting, Franco auditioned for the role of Michael Kelso on That '70s Show. Kelso was the good-looking member of the group, but he lacked intelligence. The character was extremely naive and thought he could succeed in life by using his appearance. His on-again-off-again romance with Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis) was often in focus of the comedy series. When a young and inexperienced Franco went to audition for the role, he remembered that Ashton Kutcher was in attendance. Kutcher went on to get the gig, playing the character for seven seasons before serving as a recurring star in the show's eighth and final season. Losing out on the part might have been a big blow to Franco, but he would soon get his own life-changing opportunity.
After missing out on That '70s Show, Franco was cast in the series 1973, which was meant to be a rival to the Fox sitcom. Unfortunately, 1973 never made it to air since it was passed over during the TV pilot season. The casting director of 1973 then recommended Franco for the 1999 teen comedy-drama, Freaks and Geeks. Franco portrayed Daniel Desario, and the show went on to become a cult classic, despite only lasting one season. It also opened up many opportunities for Franco and the rest of the cast and crew. Franco and Freaks and Geeks co-star, Seth Rogen, became very good friends, collaborating on a multitude of projects.
Franco may not have been a fit for That '70s Show, but his career seemed to find its own path. Interestingly enough, Franco wound up working alongside Kunis on 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful. In addition, Kutcher was cast in Franco's indie drama, The Long Home. The movie went into development in 2015 but has yet to hit the public. Either way, it's safe to say that Franco has no hard feelings about losing out on the role in That '70s Show.
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