Dave Franco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Franco
Franco at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
Born	David John Franco (1985-06-12) June 12, 1985 (age 40) Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Southern California
Occupation	Actor producer screenwriter director
Years active	2006–present
Spouse(s)	Alison Brie ​ (m. 2017)​
Relatives	James Franco (brother) Tom Franco (brother)

David John Franco (born June 12, 1985) is an American actor and filmmaker. He started his career with small parts in movies like Superbad (2007) and Charlie St. Cloud (2010). He became more well-known after starring in the comedy series Scrubs.

Franco's big break in movies came with the comedy 21 Jump Street (2012). He has also starred in many other popular films. These include Now You See Me (2013) and its sequel, Neighbors (2014), and Nerve (2016). In 2020, he directed his first movie, The Rental, which starred his wife, Alison Brie.

Early Life and School

David John Franco was born in Palo Alto, California. His mother, Betsy Lou Verne, was a poet and children's book author. His father, Douglas Eugene Franco, ran a nonprofit organization. His parents met when they were students at Stanford University.

Franco's mother is Jewish, and his father was of Portuguese and Swedish heritage. He grew up in California with his two older brothers, James and Tom, who are also actors.

Franco went to the University of Southern California. At first, he wanted to be a high school teacher and teach creative writing. However, his brother James's manager suggested he take a theater class. This is where he began to learn how to act.

Acting Career

First Roles on TV and in Movies

Franco at an event in 2013

In 2006, Franco started his acting career on the TV show 7th Heaven. He also appeared in shows like Do Not Disturb and had small roles in movies like Superbad.

In 2009, he joined the cast of the popular TV comedy Scrubs for its final season. He played Cole Aaronson in all thirteen episodes. People liked his performance in the show.

Becoming a Movie Star

In 2011, MTV Networks called him one of their "Breakout Stars to Watch For." That year, he starred in the horror-comedy movie Fright Night.

His career took a big step forward in 2012. He played a key role in the action-comedy film 21 Jump Street. The movie was a huge success and was based on an old TV show.

In 2013, he was in the zombie movie Warm Bodies and the crime thriller Now You See Me. In Now You See Me, he played a magician who could throw playing cards with amazing skill.

Continued Success

Franco's popular roles continued throughout the 2010s. In 2014, he starred with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron in the comedy Neighbors. He and Efron won an MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo.

He returned for the sequels Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and Now You See Me 2 in 2016. The next year, he appeared in The Disaster Artist, which was directed by his brother, James. In the film, he played Greg Sestero, a real-life actor.

Directing and Recent Work

In 2020, Franco directed his first movie, a horror film called The Rental. He also co-wrote the script.

In 2022, he was part of the main cast for the Apple TV+ mystery-comedy series The Afterparty. He also acted in the action-comedy movie Day Shift that same year.

Personal Life

Franco with his wife Alison Brie in 2023.

Franco began dating actress Alison Brie in 2012. They got engaged in August 2015. The couple married in a private ceremony on March 13, 2017.

Selected Filmography

Franco has appeared in many movies and television shows. Here are some of his most well-known works.

Films

• Superbad (2007)
• Charlie St. Cloud (2010)
• Fright Night (2011)
• 21 Jump Street (2012)
• Warm Bodies (2013)
• Now You See Me (2013)
• The Lego Movie (2014) - as the voice of Wally
• Neighbors (2014)
• Now You See Me 2 (2016)
• Nerve (2016)
• The Disaster Artist (2017)
• The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017) - as the voice of Lloyd Garmadon
• 6 Underground (2019)
• The Rental (2020) - as director, writer, and producer
• Day Shift (2022)
• Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

Television

• 7th Heaven (2006)
• Scrubs (2009–2010)
• Young Justice (2011–2012) - as the voice of The Riddler
• Easy (2016–2019)
• The Afterparty (2022)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Dave Franco para niños