Imagine this: James Franco—yes, that James Franco—is at home, decides to spend some time painting in his garage, and suddenly comes face-to-face with what he claims is an extraterrestrial. Instead of sounding the alarm, he heads straight to TikTok to tease footage of the supposed alien as if he’s promoting a new album.
Sounds unbelievable, right? Many people seem to agree. While the idea isn’t entirely impossible—especially with the growing attention surrounding UAPs in recent years—Franco’s alleged “alien” footage has largely been met with skepticism. Many viewers believe it’s either part of a promotional campaign for an upcoming project or simply another trolling effort, similar to the actor’s past ventures into performance art.
Below, we take a closer look at the viral clip. While it’s entirely possible that extraterrestrial life exists, this particular claim has left many unconvinced.
James Franco Posts Questionable Video He Claims Shows an “Alien”
On Monday (July 13), James Franco—whose public image shifted significantly following sexual misconduct allegations in the late 2010s—uploaded a TikTok video that he claims features the alleged extraterrestrial.
Before revealing the footage, Franco addressed viewers while sitting in front of a laptop.
“I didn’t choose this,” Franco said before pressing play. “It was thrust upon me. I saw something, and I thought, you know what? I can’t keep this quiet. People have said I’m crazy. … I’ve been through a lot. My account got hacked twice. Twice. People trying to shut me down so that I don’t get this out, okay? But I need to get this out, for that very reason that people are trying to stop me.”
He continued by explaining why he decided to share the clip despite the alleged setbacks.
“For that very reason, I fought to get the account back. … I felt like I owed it to you, to the people that are following me and are trusting that I, in fact, have material behind what I’m saying, right? I’m putting my money where my mouth is or whatever. Okay, enough. Here we go. 7/13. You wanted it, here it is. I delivered.”
The footage features a figure resembling the classic depiction of an alien moving through what appears to be a wooded area before later opening a door and looking through a window. A message at the end of the video teases that “a lot more footage” is on the way. As of this writing, two additional recent videos on Franco’s account are only accessible behind a paywall.
Unsurprisingly, social media users were quick to react, with many dismissing the clip as a publicity stunt. A number of viewers speculated that Franco could be using the videos to generate buzz for his upcoming film Love Meets in the Sunshine, while others pointed to what they believe are signs that the footage was digitally edited.
James Franco Insists “This Is Not a Hoax”
To be clear, the Oscar-nominated actor has been posting similar content on TikTok for several weeks. The earliest video currently available on the @jamesfranco2319 account dates back to June 3.
Later that month, Franco doubled down on his claims in a video captioned “It’s an ALIEN!!!,” insisting that “this is not a hoax” despite widespread skepticism.
“I think it’s an alien,” he said in the clip. “An alien, okay? I’m saying it: an alien. … I guess my weapon is the camera. Proof, expose. I don’t know what’s gonna happen but I’m gonna do it. I’m not crazy. I’m gonna show you.”
In another video posted that same day, James Franco recounted what he described as his first encounter with the alleged “alien.” According to the actor, he had gone into his garage one night to do some painting when he heard an unusual noise that he initially believed came from an animal.
“I saw glowing eyes and a hand,” Franco claimed. “I don’t know how many fingers.”
Director of James Franco’s Upcoming Film Denies ‘Alien’ Videos Are a Promotional Stunt
Christian Guiton, the director of Love Meets in the Sunshine, which stars James Franco, pushed back against speculation that the actor’s viral TikTok videos are part of a marketing campaign for the film.
In a TikTok video posted on June 20, Guiton insisted he has “nothing to do with this” and urged people to stop directing criticism his way. According to the filmmaker, he knows no more about Franco’s claims than anyone else following the story online.
“Let’s just wait and see what he has, if he has anything,” Guiton said at the time. “I don’t know. He could pull up on 7/13 and show us a Pop-Tart. I don’t know. So, if he does, don’t get mad at me.”
In a video posted this week following Franco’s July 13 reveal, Christian Guiton shared that he recently visited the actor at his home, where Franco allegedly showed him additional footage of the supposed extraterrestrial. As it turns out, there was no Pop-Tart involved after all.
“If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, the extra footage that he has, I wouldn’t believe it,” Guiton said.
It’s also worth noting that of the three TikTok accounts James Franco follows, one belongs to Christian Guiton, while another is the official Love Meets in the Sunshine account—something that has only fueled further speculation about the videos.
