Dave Franco

David John Franco, better known as Dave Franco, was born on June 12, 1985. He is an American actor, voice actor, and filmmaker. He began his career with small roles in films such as “Superbad” and “Charlie St. Cloud.” Following a starring role in the ninth season of the comedy series “Scrubs,” Franco had his film breakthrough in a supporting role in the buddy comedy film “21 Jump Street.” Franco has also starred in “Fright Night,” “Now You See Me” and its sequel “Now You See Me 2,” “Neighbors,” “Nerve,” and “The Disaster Artist.” In 2020, he made his directorial debut with “The Rental,” which starred his wife Alison Brie. Let’s give him a special shoutout on his birthday.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

David John Franco

Nickname:

Dave

Birth date:

June 12, 1985

Age:

38

Zodiac Sign:

Gemini

Height:

5' 8.4"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$10 million

David's Social Media:

Background

Franco was born in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Lou, a poet, children’s book author, and editor; and Douglas Eugene Franco, who ran a nonprofit agency and a business. The two met as students at Stanford University. Franco grew up in California with his two older brothers, James and Tom. He studied at the University of Southern California and originally envisioned himself as a high school teacher teaching creative writing until his brother James Franco’s manager guided him to a theater class when he was a sophomore — this is where he started learning acting skills.

In 2006, Franco made his acting debut on the C.W. drama television series “7th Heaven.” He appeared in television shows such as “Do Not Disturb” and “Young Justice.” In May 2008, he was cast in the C.W. teen drama television series “Privileged.” The series centered on a live-in tutor for two spoiled heiresses in Palm Beach. In August 2009, “Variety” announced Franco was cast in a regular role for the ninth season of “Scrubs.” Franco went on to appear in all thirteen episodes of the ninth season and received praise from critics for his performance; however, the ninth was the final season of the series. In August 2011, Franco starred in the 3D horror comedy film “Fright Night” alongside Colin Farrell and Toni Collette. The film received positive reviews from critics and went on to make over $41 million worldwide.

In March 2012, Franco starred in the Columbia Pictures action comedy film “21 Jump Street” as a high school student and the lead drug dealer. The film was based on the 1987 television series of the same name. In 2013, he co-starred in the zombie romance film “Warm Bodies” as Perry Kelvin. The film, an adaptation of the best-selling novel “Warm Bodies,” followed a romance between a zombie and a human during a zombie apocalypse. Franco’s 2014 roles included the Seth Rogen comedy “Neighbors” and a cameo appearance in “22 Jump Street.”

In 2016, he reprised his roles in the sequel “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.” In 2017, Franco appeared in the well-received comedy “The Little Hours” and the acclaimed biographical comedy-drama “The Disaster Artist,” which was directed by his brother, James. In the latter, he portrays Greg Sestero, a young actor who befriends the eccentric Tommy Wiseau, and ultimately stars in Wiseau’s film, “The Room.”

In 2018, Franco starred in the addiction drama “6 Balloons” on Netflix. Franco then had a small role in “If Beale Street Could Talk.” In 2019, Franco starred in “Zeroville,” directed by his brother James, which was originally shot in 2014. Next, he starred in the action-thriller “6 Underground.” In 2020, Franco made his directorial debut with the horror-thriller “The Rental,” from a screenplay he wrote alongside Joe Swanberg, which stars Alison Brie, Dan Stevens, Jeremy Allen White, and Sheila Vand. In 2022, Franco was in the main cast of the Apple TV+ mystery comedy series “The Afterparty.”

Career timeline

2006
A Star is Born

Franco begins his career with the series “7th Heaven,” in the episode ‘Highway to Cell.’

2009
A Main Role

He gets the lead role in the ninth season of the series "Scrubs."

2011
The Riddler

Franco does his first voice acting role in "Young Justice," playing the villainous Riddler.

2013
“Warm Bodies”

He plays a zombie in the movie "Warm Bodies," inspired by a young adult novel.

2020
His Directorial Debut

Francos creates his first work as a writer, producer, and director.

Why We Love Dave Franco

  1. He loves his family

    The first thing he spent money on when he became rich was a gift for his mom. She had a '90s television in her bedroom and Franco bought a more modern television for her.

  2. Cat lover

    He’s a proud owner of two cats, Arturo and Harry. He told Ellen DeGeneres that his cats fall asleep on him every night.

  3. He’s a lover of art

    His brother, Tom, is an artist, and Franco is his biggest fan! He has described the artworks as some of his most prized possessions and the most meaningful objects he owns.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. “Funny or Die”

    Dave Franco has appeared in eight video shoots on the website “Funny or Die.”

  2. He doesn't think he's a funny guy

    Growing up, he was shy and he considers himself to be quite a serious adult; he said that he is definitely not a comedian.

  3. A Roald Dahl fan

    As his mom and grandmother are authors, a love of literature is in his blood, and his childhood hero was Roald Dahl.

  4. Zac Efron?

    Franco was once at an after-show party and was mistaken for "High School Musical" star, Zac Efron by a little girl and her mother.

  5. He would have been a writer

    Before becoming an actor, he wanted to become a writer and teach creative writing classes.

Dave Franco FAQs

Are James and Dave Franco twins?

They’re not. James was born in 1978 and Dave was born in 1985.

How did Dave Franco meet Alison Brie?

The “GLOW” star and her friend ran into Franco at the airport, and while the trio was having dinner later, the matchmaking began. Brie’s friend texted her under the table encouraging a hookup with Franco, to which the actress responded, “Yes, please.”

How many Franco brothers are there?

There are three Franco brothers: Dave, James, and Tom Franco.

Dave Franco’s birthday dates

YearDateDay
2024June 12Wednesday
2025June 12Thursday
2026June 12Friday
2027June 12Saturday
2028June 12Monday

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