James Franco is dating costar Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez is miffed

James Franco Selena Gomez

Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to get revved up enough to write about James Franco and his living, breathing, everlasting life of AART. As such, it’s awfully suspicious (in terms of art) when James decides to start dating a co-star from one of his (arty) projects, which is the case where Spring Breakers is concerned because Franco is now dating Ashley Benson, who is the blonde in these photos. It feels pretty sketchy, but that’s probably just because Franco is involved. Sketchy as in calling an Etch a Sketch ART, which is probably something that Franco has done at some point in his (art-filled) life.

Here’s the details. A source told Page Six that Franco and Benson were spotted together walking in Washington Square Park and holding hands at the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride over the weekend: “They have been seeing each other for a little over a month, but things are going well.” But if they were truly seeing each other for a month, why was Ashley photographed here on 10/12 with her boyfriend of several months, Ryan Good?

Ashley Benson

The art thickens, however, for the Mail has some new photos of Franco “cosying together” with a blonde whose face is well hidden. Is it Ashley? Probably so, because according to E! Online, she and Franco are totally art-boning:

James Franco Selena Gomez

James Franco has found himself a Pretty Little girlfriend.

The Oscar nominee is dating Ashley Benson, aka Hanna Marin on Pretty Little Liars, a source confirms. The couple met while making Spring Breakers, an indie flick costarring Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens.

Franco, 34, and Benson, 22, were recently spotted holding hands at L.A.’s Haunted Hayride, according to the New York Post, which first reported the new romance. Reps for both did not immediately comment.

The two are seen in some very comprising positions in Spring Breakers, a drug and sex-fueled film about four coeds who find themselves mixed up with a drug dealer. One scene in particular features a three-way romp with Hudgens in a swimming pool.

Benson told us at the Toronto International Film Festival in September that Hudgens and Franco made it as comfortable as they could for her. Franco explained that he tried “to stay relaxed” and not “use any teeth.”

[From E! Online]

So Franco has himself a new girlfriend. Is that interesting? Maybe not in and of itself, but here’s a wrinkling factor — Selena Gomez is reportedly quite upset that Ashley is dating Franco because she did so at the expense of dumping Ryan Good, who happens to be Justin Bieber’s BFF. Selena’s also supposedly “feel[ing] used and kind of punched in the face seeing as though she got Ashley the [Spring Breakers] role and Ashley just used the opportunity to break her friend’s heart.” Is this why Selena is really upset, or is it because James stopped hitting on her to go after Ashley?

Franco has also been promoting Francophrenia (which is the uber-meta feature film he created to justify his insulting, vaudeville-esque return to “General Hospital” last year) at an Austin Film Festival. In doing so, his haughtiness gave a 75-minute speech, during which he claimed that Paul Thomas Anderson nearly offered him the role of Freddie (that went to Joaquin Phoenix) in The Master, but Franco says he ultimately didn’t get the part because he “wasn’t scared enough or something.” Ugh, this douchebag would have killed that movie. While onstage, Franco also took another opportunity to say that his turn at hosting the Oscars failed because “the material they gave me was CRAP!” Well, Franco may be a totally pompous prick, but at least he’s consistent at it.

James Franco Selena Gomez

James Franco

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN

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24 Responses to “James Franco is dating costar Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez is miffed”

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  1. Roma says:

    This makes me sad. I love her in Pretty Little Liars!

  2. marie says:

    Ashley Benson welcome to FART, Franco’s life of stank art..

    Gomez is probably just jealous that Franco wanted no part of it, she should be thankful.

  3. Silk Spectre says:

    He’s just using her to get over his one true love, the lady Kirsten of Stewarts.

    Francstew: I want to believe.

    • JS says:

      Lady To whubba who?

    • stellalovejoydiver says:

      That would be a couple I could get behind, like Katy Perry and John Mayer, they´re perfectly awful for each other.
      Just imagine the epic doucheniss of their conversations.

  4. Cathy says:

    I wouldn’t waste my time or money to see any film or play that he’s in. His overblown sense of self is disgusting. He’s ugly to.

  5. NerdMomma says:

    This guy is truly deranged. If it turns out he has body parts in his refrigerator, I will not be surprised in the least. Any and all ladies need to run fast and far.

    • Tifygodess24 says:

      You know what’s funny I could see this as well and it wouldnt surprise me at all. He kinda seems like a psycho, And you know he would justify murder and dismemberment by saying its art….and then get the cop fired for doing his Job 😉 I really dislike this guy.

  6. Shitler says:

    No good can come from dating a bff of Justin Bieber’s. Ashley probably got tired of seeing Selena change Bieber’s diapers so she bailed!

  7. mln76 says:

    Ive never watched PLL but I remember really liking her on Days of Our Lives….she should run back to her boyfriend its so not worth the extra press!

  8. stinky says:

    i only wish he would eat some green leafies cuz his complexion scares me. he’s looked weird for some time now. his pallor if off. someone tell him, please.

  9. stellalovejoydiver says:

    He likes them young and blonde, doesn´t he. Bahaha to the Master bit, as if, Joaquin acts circles around this douche, but sure, he´s always the frontrunner for any potential oscar-nominated role. I seriously hope that Benson is only doing this for publicity, how anyone can spend longer than 5 minutes(let alone have sex with him) without feeling the urge to punch him, baffles me.

  10. goodquestion says:

    22 years old? Makes him look like a fool that she hangs out (appropriately) with the junion-Bieber crowd.
    You’d hope that the self-proclaimed “Intellectuals” in Hollywood would go for more experienced women.

  11. Talie says:

    I knew he would end up with one of them just based on how flirty he was at all the film festivals with Ashley and Selena…but I thought it would be Selena.

  12. Naye in VA says:

    This is why you shouldnt hook friends up. Dont expect to have a say in what an adult does with their relationships. It’s never your business (unless the police should be called)

    • Brin says:

      I learned my lesson the hard way. I hooked my two friends up and she ended up cheating on him , whats worse is she wanted me to help her lie about it. She ended up dumping him for her ex over the phone while he was on vacation. Needless to say she and I are no longer friends.

  13. KellyinSeattle says:

    Selena likes yucky guys.

  14. moja31 says:

    Yikes, she could do way better. I’m going to choose to ignore anything about him that happened after Freaks & Geeks. That is all.

  15. j.eyre says:

    I had no idea he was only 34.

  16. Dani says:

    Ashley Benson was also rumored to be getting with the guitarist of All Time Low, Jack Barakat.

    I remember there was a time in my life where I liked James Franco, around Tristan and Isolde. Now he’s too hipstery for me.

  17. Bread and Circuses says:

    That photo from TIFF makes me tired. Four women dressed up and looking amazing, plus one douche in tshirt and jeans, acting like he’s a rock star.

  18. Marycontrary says:

    I thought he was great in Pineapple Express; a little sweet stoner dude. I kind of took that to be his real self, which I would have continued to adore.

    Then he started getting pretentious and arty and transformed into a doucher.
    I miss my little sweet stoner dude!