James Franco's 'General Hospital' Debut: WATCH (VIDEO)

Friday James Franco began his 'lengthy arc' on 'General Hospital,' in which he plays a vagrant performance artist named Franco who visits Port Charles to exhibit his work. The Hollywood A-lister's soap opera turn is all a meta part of some art film he's making with Carter, his frequent artistic collaborator who was responsible for the short 'Erased James Franco.'

Below you can watch a clip from Franco's first 'GH' appearance in which he lurks in the shadows, wearing fingerless gloves and eating a snack while watching the local mobsters shoot each other. Tune in to see what he does with the information he harbors.

WATCH:

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Comments

[marikahoney]

12:46 AM on 11/30/2009

RE: "Mad World" I did not get it (someone saying it was too much) a friend who knows I'm a big J.F fan said PUT ON THE SOAP CHANNEL - (I really did not know one existed) was fallng zz - heard that song -looked and he's all covered up. I'm ready to throw a shoe @ my t.v -
Heard it about 20 more times AND FINALLY ......finally saw Mr. Franco in action. He rocked
blew the cast away so far as talent and will appreciate him (and respect him) even more this guy doesn't seem to give 2 ___ what anyone thinks. How many actors do this? LOVE IT!
He should get an Emmy for this %%%% even though I get the feeling he could care less.
Good for him *love he seems to care about honing his craft and not impressing critics
He may have made a big impact on all the bs that goes on "stars" don't do daytime.
Watch, Brad Pitt will being doing Days of our Lives or some %%%% haha - rock on Mr. Franco/Franco lol (the name cracked me up too) I bet he challenged all on set to do better as well.
Mad World GIVE IT A REST or don't! - comical and fitting so I kind of liked it) even though it got stuck in my head ........I'll never, ever hear that song the same again LOL on who thought this up. Inquiring minds want to know ; ) too

[Zengeist]

12:42 AM on 11/23/2009

Find something worthy of your talents, Jimmy boy!

[marikahoney]

12:53 AM on 11/30/2009

And what would that be?

[GQTaste]

04:45 PM on 11/22/2009

You can't see anything in that clip.

[tantan75]

03:59 PM on 11/22/2009

Why James?!?! You were just getting your mojo back! This is going to play every time you're on Conan or David. If you want to do a guest appearance do it on Grey's or Housewives.

[marikahoney]

12:54 AM on 11/30/2009

damn when did he lose his mojo? lol Housewives? What a challenge that would be huh?

[skipling]

01:10 AM on 11/22/2009

He's just fun. I love his skits on Funny or Die. Loved him in Milk. In Spiderman. He's cool and marching to his own drummer. Keep it up, Jimmy.

[marikahoney]

04:51 AM on 11/28/2009

I was going to write a post but, you pretty much said it here.

I think he rocks in Pineapple Express

And should have gotten an Oscar for Milk.

Sean Penn reminded me of his role in that Sam movie. James made it. And his mom is a riot.

I love his acting - my mom & daughter - my friends (guys and girls)

he is LOVABLE! Lucky woman that gets him. He just looks like he is smiling (his eyes) has an aura about him. GUCCI lol

[marikahoney]

12:57 AM on 11/30/2009

he has 11 videos on funnyordie

me and my kid laughed so hard we were in tears.........

each one was funnier than the next

CHECK OUT GUCCI lmao

[kevinlockett]

05:17 PM on 11/21/2009

Love General Hospital, but I do wish they decrease the mob thing a bit and let Maurice Bernard and Steve Burton stretch their skills. Now onto James Franco. Judgin by what I've see and read so far, Franco's turn as the artist "Franco" seems like its going to be a wild ride. I just want to know who was the woman shaving him on Friday's episode.

Kevin

www.twitter.com/kevinlockett

www.soul88.blogspot.com

www.lockettmedia.moonfruit.com

[Ashley Lane]

01:05 PM on 11/27/2009

her name is marsha thomason she is from lost

[marikahoney]

02:48 AM on 11/29/2009

I'd shave him anytime anywhere : )

[Lucille]

01:32 PM on 11/21/2009

I don't watch any soaps except One Life to Live, that's it; until yesterday. I watched this episode and Franco is really cute so I hope the story can hold my interest, however, after Franco's brief time with GH is over, I'm sure I won't be watching GH again.

[bokiluis]

12:05 PM on 11/21/2009

I am not sure I will watch this though I have the time......I weaned myself off of soap operas in the 70s, hopefully, never to return even in retirement years. That said, I find this a fascinating career move for James. He has captured my attention, and millions of others, since his debut in his award winning performance in the James Dean bio. After a string of poor movie decisions that performed poorly at the box office, "Milk" placed his career, artistically, back on track. He was heartbreakingly great in "Milk". He recently did a Q&A session after a showing of his current side project, "Erased James Franco" at The Castro Theater. He clearly positions himself as an actor first and a movie star/celebrity next. It is possible that this abbreviated stint on General Hospital is yet another move in the direction of his craft and not to be viewed as a "make or break" decision for the trajectory of his career.

[marikahoney]

12:59 AM on 11/30/2009

he was awesome in Milk. Better than Penn Who won an Oscar .....

same old Penn

[xpresv]

09:56 AM on 11/21/2009

I can't believe I am admitting this on HuffPo, but I love "General Hospital!" I grew up with ABC soaps, but it's the only one I still watch. That show has the MOST BEAUTIFUL people on television, and the storylines are about relationship stuff and mob drama, so it's a great way to "escape."
I was unfamiliar with James Franco, but I like what he's bringing to the show. Although, he does look kinda stoned in his scenes. (But so does most of the cast...just sayin.')

[NoSillyName]

11:39 AM on 11/21/2009

My mother watches GH because she's in love with Sonny. I can't stand MOB stories.

[NoSillyName]

11:40 AM on 11/21/2009

Oh, and she's 80,

[MindyM]

09:50 PM on 11/20/2009

I am so not a fan of soap operas, but I feel compelled to watch just to see what James Franco will do here. I watched the first episode, but there wasn't much of him to see until the end. He is gorgeous, charming, charismatic and incredibly talented, so I will watch him in anything.

It was the movie Milk that introduced me to James Franco. I thought his performance was simply brilliant. He was the true supporting role in that movie. Now I see that he has been around for a while. This young man is a gifted actor and the sky's the limit for him. I am sure he has his reasons for doing this. It's his career, so good for him.

[marikahoney]

04:47 AM on 11/28/2009

very well put!

[Bluejay00234]

08:46 PM on 11/20/2009

The set was so dark you could hardly see anything.

[oceanofconsciousness]

08:39 PM on 11/20/2009

No James, say it ain't so! Come back from the dark side!

[GoDogGo]

08:26 PM on 11/20/2009

My next door neighbor did the deal: It's money. He's making a HUGE fortune off this.

[marikahoney]

04:38 AM on 11/28/2009

we can agree to disagree. I don't believe that. I think he has ulterior motives but, not for $. I'd love to know why and he'll probably talk about it in the future sometime. Lets just enjoy him.
I'm sure he is all set so far as $ goes.

Just my thoughts. You may be right but, I think not : )

[Debbie2009]

06:37 PM on 12/13/2009

It's not for the money.. It's the challenge of it.. soap work is very demanding there is so much to thier scrips that not a lot of actors can do daytime because of its demand.... this is a man who wants to be challenged in life go the limits and make no limits.... hes a daredevil at heart.... its about proof of what he can do and the limits in which he can do it... amazing .... he wants to know what he can do with his talent and wants to weigh in on every avenue...... the man has guts and will be huge one day... in a lot of areas not just acting.... go go James franco

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

07:29 PM on 11/20/2009

He is hot and could have saved Guiding Light.

[marikahoney]

04:35 AM on 11/28/2009

just lol cute post haha

[Darcman]

07:26 PM on 11/20/2009

His career must be in serious trouble for him to agree to do a daytime soap! Those things are disappearing faster than moderate Republicans!

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

07:29 PM on 11/20/2009

Naw, they must be paying him a fortune.

[amirtalai]

07:44 PM on 11/20/2009

they dont have a fortune to pay him. he's doing this bc he feels like it.

[NoSillyName]

11:43 AM on 11/21/2009

The above text says that he is doing this as part of some art film he's working on.

"is all a meta part of some art film he's making with Carter, his frequent artistic collaborator who was responsible for the short 'Erased James Franco"

Sometimes by reading, we learn things. Unimportant things, but still, we learn.