9 Milestones in the Evolution of James Franco

In this weekend's Rise of the Planet of the Apes, James Franco plays a San Francisco scientist attempting to develop the cure for Alzheimer's through apes. Just how did Franco transform himself from a television burnout to a believable genetic engineer, while maintaining one of the busiest and eclectic schedules in Hollywood? You can always trace a direct line through a few important roles to illustrate what led to an actor's current success. So let's look at nine pivotal performances that track the evolution of the Oscar nominated James Franco.

Never Been Kissed (1999)

Long before James Franco was being recognized as one of Hollywood's most experimental performers (or as one of its worst Academy Awards co-hosts), the actor was a gum-chomping background player in a Drew Barrymore romcom. While growing up in Palo Alto, Franco first became interested in acting as a means to overcome his shyness but the budding performer soon starting auditioning and landed a few very forgettable roles in series like Pacific Blue and Profiler. At the age of 21 though, he nabbed the part of a popular high schooler in this lighthearted comedy.

Freaks and Geeks (1999)

It wasn't until Paul Feig and Judd Apatow's short-lived (but critically beloved) Freaks and Geeks though that James Franco gained real viewer recognition. As Daniel Desario, a complicated deadbeat that alternately bickers with his teenage girlfriend (Busy Phillipps) and cares for his invalid father, Franco proved that he could embody complex, charismatic characters deserving of both your scorn and your sympathy (the latter of which is earned in this beautifully-acted clip as Desario reluctantly comes around to the idea of Dungeons and Dragons with the nerds). Franco would go on to collaborate with Apatow and his Freaks co-star Seth Rogen again in Knocked Up (during which Franco had a brief cameo) and in the 2008 stoner comedy Pineapple Express.

James Dean (2001)

If Freaks and Geeks was the milestone project for which James Franco started being recognized, James Dean was the project for which the actor started being recognized as a serious performer. The project was originally conceived as a feature film with Michael Mann attached to direct. But when Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio were dropped as leads for various reasons, Warner Bros. handed the project over to sister network TNT, and a small-screen project was born. As the story goes, Franco was chosen from 500 actors and underwent intense character immersion, allegedly smoking two packs of cigarettes a day (from zero packs a day), learning to ride a motorcycle and play the guitar and speaking with Dean's friends Martin Landau and Dennis Hopper to perfect the icon's mannerisms. In addition to this being Franco's first "serious" role, James Dean would also be the first time that the actor would take on a biographical part (as he later did in Howl, Milk and 127 Hours) and the first time that he would earn a Golden Globe nomination (for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film).

Spider-Man (2002)

A year later, Franco made his mainstream multiplex debut in the first installment of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy. After auditioning for the part of the titular superhero, he was cast as Peter Parker's best friend and roommate Harry Osborn. Grossing $821 million worldwide, this was Franco's most successful project at the box office and remained so until 2007's Spider-Man 3, which grossed $891 million worldwide.

Good Time Max (2007)

Franco wrote and directed his first feature in 2005 (Fool's Gold, not to be mistaken with the Matthew McConaughey/Kate Hudson flick) but it wasn't until 2007 that a feature written and directed by (not to mention, starring) the budding multitasker gained some ground in the film community. The same year that Good Time Max -- an indie drama about two genius brothers who choose much different paths in life -- premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Franco also appeared in Camille, An American Crime, Interview, Finishing the Game, In the Valley of Elah, Knocked Up and Spider-Man 3. I'm tired just listing those. Made a year after Franco re-enrolled at UCLA, Good Time Max also marks Franco's return to higher education.

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