Maggie Gyllenhaal stars and serves as a producer on HBO’s The Deuce. The Deuce revolves around sex workers and the porn industry in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Maggie’s character, Candy, is a former sex worker who gets into adult films as both an actor and a director/producer. The show is critically acclaimed, and Maggie is recognized for her performance. The show itself has been recognized for giving women a voice in subject matter that is depicting misogyny in the highest order. James France also stars and serves as executive producer. Franco has been accused of many counts of assault that he has never properly addressed. But, as is often the case, Franco is not asked about he the allegations against him, but Maggie is. Something, she says, she finds annoying.
Does it annoy you when you get questions about James Franco? There’s this tendency where women are asked to answer for the men around them who have been accused of misconduct.
Yeah, that annoys me. I have been asked to answer for him and I have nothing to do with it. But I feel like it’s important to continue making the show. I feel like a political wife or something. I don’t like that.
I wondered if some of those questions were because you’re a producer, and you’ve been so vocal about having creative power within the show.
Yes, I was a part of that conversation. It was a lot of really intelligent people who were able to think in a nuanced way, who were talking with the actors and the crew. My conversation with an actress on the show is going to be very different than David Simon’s conversation with an actress on the show, but I do think we all tried to use the most nuanced part of our minds to think this through.
I feel, and I continue to feel, that this is a show about all of these things. To cancel a show about sexual politics, sexual power, the commodification of sex in the film business would be really confused. And nobody was willing to continue to make it without him.
[From Vulture via Just Jared]
Maggie’s approach to the Franco questions has always been to throw it back on the reporters for asking her instead of Franco himself. And I agree – he’s the accused, not her. But I wish she would stay at that and not wander down this path of “the show is more important than the fact that Franco is probably a predator.” I, personally, did not watch the show because of Franco’s involvement. It was confirmed last fall that the third season of The Deuce would be its last. Although creator David Simon indicated the show was a three-season show, the weak ratings probably also played a part in the decision to end it, so perhaps I wasn’t the only one staying away from it because of Franco. The good news is Maggie won’t have to answer for Franco anymore.
Photo credit: WENN Photos
I love that show. And I’d watch everything Simon does. Maggie is amazing in it. I couldn’t care less about Franco but even he delivers. I understand people not wanting to invest into a show or a film a douche is involved in but I wouldn’t skip on Simon for anyone.
Yeah I think it’s a great show and worth it despite Franco!
Don’t let him takeaway from the great work of so many others….
And Maggie is amazing in it!
I dunno – she’s a producer on the show and is apparently of the opinion that it couldn’t continue without him. That’s an expression of her agency surely? And a decision its fair to question her about? She’s right that a less powerful actress might have a different conversation with Maggie vs David simon, but Maggie is still a boss and its not the responsibility of the least powerful on set to push for change. That should come from the top and asking her about that seems fair to me. She’s not responsible for Franco being predatory but she is partly responsible for him having a job. Or am I misunderstanding her role as a producer?
I’m partly with you but there is indeed the lingering question of what ‘producer’ means in this case. In this business it can mean so many different things. Who has the actual rights to the property, who is financing the show and does Maggie have an executive producer title or just a producer title which is often just a glorified pay raise for actors and maybe a seat at the table.
What I am saying is Maggie may have a seat at the table but its the other men and Franco who hold the property in their hands. It would serve nobody if she walked and the show went on without her. Especially because her role on the show is so important.
Personally I think the show would be 100% better without Franco’s characters (God how typical that he plays TWO fucked up assholes). The storylines about the women and the pron business are infinitely more interesting than watching those twins fuck up their lives…
Say nuanced again, Mags.
No, she isn’t answerable for his predatory actions. But she IS answerable for choosing to work with him knowing about those actions and no amount of head up your own ass “nuanced” artist double speak makes that okay.
But hey, as long as she’s making money, I guess.
Predation continues in part because so few suffer consequences. So while she isn’t responsible for his behavior, she does have some measure of ownership in his continued employment in an ndustry that by its nature gives him access to future victims and marginalizes his past abuses.
The only gross part in asking her is that they aren’t also asking him.
Yeah, from our perspective that is certainly true. But I am also willing to believe that “nuanced” means that there have been extensive discussions on the topic that don’t pare down easily into a soundbite. Or perhaps legal ramifications to forcing him out of the show without a conviction.
It’s unclear to me how much power she actually has over the situation, outside of the power to step aside from the project. But again, why should she have to be the one to step aside? He needs to suffer consequences, but I’m not sure that can reasonably be put on her.
I don’t like her “nuanced” double-speak in circles either…isn’t that the same as evading and/or lying to save her own ass? It’s chicken-sh^t. So she needs a scumbag predator to know how to portray a scumbag predator/misogynist? No…use your effing imagination, a little crime research and I’m sure the “great” David Simon can manage w/o Franco the pig. The way Franco operates and then smarmy way he thinks he’s gotten away with it like in the video of him blatantly hiding from the camera in the elevator going up to Amber Heard’s penthouse. He knows he will be criticized for it so hides what he is doing so he can deny any wrong-doing. If I were Gyllenhal and Simon? Franco is off the set with this ultimatum: You may choose to resign, or you will be suspended while we conduct an investigation into how nude images of actresses in your “art films” ended up on the internet and in porn movies without the actresses knowledge and all of the other allegations made in the LA times article
Reminds me of Alison Brie being asked about James Franco just after the allegations came out. Red carpet for the… Emmys? SAGs? She was nominated for GLOW and rather than focus on that achievement, she was asked about her brother-in-law, like it was somehow up to her to answer for him. On HER big night. Grrrr
I don’t watch the Deuce but my husband does and loves it. In his opinion, you should watch it in SPITE of Franco – don’t avoid it because of him. Don’t give him that power. Husband is forever telling me I’m missing out – that the representation of women it presents is vital (and I’m pretty sure I’d love it because – duh – David Simon. My only excuse is – there are TOO MANY SHOWS and TOO LITTLE TIME!!)
Not quite the same. Alison Brie was asked about her brother in law who doesn’t work on her show. That was indeed questionable.
Maggie is actively making money by being on a show with sex abuser James Franco. So while it is indeed a massive issue that he’s not being put on the spot…I’m fine with her being asked too. How’s that for nuance Maggie?
Have you seen the show?
(P.s. yes – I get it’s not quite the same. Was just trying to make a broader point about women being expected to answer for men)
That’s entirely different.
Maggie is choosing to continue to work with him knowing everything that’s come out. She had a choice to make and she made it, and it’s not unfair for people to ask her about that choice. In fact it’s what we should expect from reporters post Me Too. If people are going to continue working with predators like Franco, at the very least they should be asked to explain why.
^^ this!
i think asking maggie to refuse to work with james franco and not to be a producer is kind of the same as asking her to answer for him.
HBO and david simon are in charge. she isn’t the casting director. why should maggie walk away from her coin. even if she is a producer, there are many people higher than her that should make those decisions. i think her insistence on being a producer probably keeps the set a lot safer and it is better that if HBO insists on casting james franco that a person like maggie is on board to oversee things is actually good.
So instead of refusing to work with a predator, you want her to oversee him to be sure he behaves?
We have a black proverb for this.
“Not all money is good money.”
you’re right. all women should just completely quit working in all industries where bad men exist. we’ll just stay home i suppose…just like men want.
I cannot stand creepy Franco.
Also, from the comments it seems today the amazingness of the show cancels out his bullshit?
That excuse doesn’t wash for MAGAs so let’s not deploy it here
Um nope. Don’t think anyone is saying that.
Thank you.
I agree with her, it’s total bullshit. She is not responsible for James Franco. And why she should be expected to give up something that she is invested in (the show) because of Franco? It sucks for her either way and it’s not fair. If Franco’s participation bothers you, the best thing you can do is not watch the show – and it seems that that’s the position quite a few have taken – that’s reasonable. I do not think it’s reasonable to ask a third party like Maggie to answer for accusations against Franco or to give up her own livelihood and opportunities because of Franco.
Yes, Patty! For a start, she didn’t cast Franco, but also, like you say – why should she have to give up this opportunity because of him? Especially as – as I tried to explain in a comment above – according to people that have actually seen the show, it has important things to say about women and representation. Why should anyone let James Franco take that away?
Agreed, she’s not responsible for answering for him. I don’t understand why reporters are too afraid to call out any of these guys on what they’ve been accused of, and it’s even worse that they DO have it in them to ask…their female costars about it. Ridiculous.
That said, I don’t think she was implying that the show was more important than the accusations against Franco. At the time this first came out, it sounded like Maggie, Simon, and HBO spoke with the rest of the cast and crew with what they felt comfortable with, and they wanted to continue the show with him. In that case…that’s their perogative, right? But I don’t know. I don’t have the seething anger toward Franco that I have toward someone like Johnny Depp. In that instance, I’m disgusted by anyone who defends working with him, so maybe I should feel the same way toward Franco.
I had completely forgotten about Franco?!? And just recently binge watched the 2 seasons of the show. And loved it. But he’s really the worst part of the show and they could easily have left him out of season 2.
She may not be a political wife, but she certainly answers questions like one. I still don’t understand the nuances of what she’s trying to say with whatever this kind of response to the second question is implying.
Either way, I refrain from watching the show because of Franco.
I find her annoying.
Honestly I haven’t watched the show because a sexual predator stars in a show about sex and ‘p0rno4pyros’ lol. Hate saying the p word online lol. Seventies p on top of that. Why on earth visit 70s seed? I’m sure it’s good, I suppose, the topic isn’t my cup of Harvey Wall hanger or Tom Collins for that matter. While I don’t hold her responsible for anything Franco, her responses don’t quell.
Meh. While I agree Franco should be asked about it more, Maggie is not just an actress in the show, but also a producer. She has a say in what happens in the set. So she should be asked about it, especially when she wants to talk about how the show empowers women.
Enough Franco opinions. I love that first, ecru, straight-from-the-’30s dress on her but wish it was in a deeper color. Pale neutrals wash her out. The black dress does a weird thing to her chest.
Mags often goes bra-less, even when straps wouldn’t show, & looks way too saggy. Glad she’s wearing a bra with the high-necked dresses here.
They all become so “nuanced” and things get “complicated” when it is about their job/role/paycheck. She basically is saying that it is more important to make the show. By being a producer and in the position of power she still makes the whole topic of harassment and sexual abuse into furthering the problem by saying that she is being asked to answer for him because she is a woman. And let’s be clear. She’s not responsible for answering for him. She is however responsible for decision that are made when she is a role of power. Look at House of Cards. Spacey definitely was the lead of the show, the power figure and both, him and after a few years Robin became producers on the show, so arguably he did have more power. And Robin still found a way to make the last season without him.