9 Bad Actors Who Have Recently Given Oscar Worthy Performances

8) James Franco – Spring Breakers

Has anybody thought to tell James Franco lately that if he’s more selective with his projects, his overall quality control might go up? If he’s not falling asleep at the Oscars, Franco’s writing a book, painting a picture, making some music, teaching a lecture, directing a movie or, occasionally, doing some acting.

The thing is that Franco now has so much going on, that when he gets around to actually doing his main job he’s uninspired, detached almost to the point of boredom – a long way from that Oscar nom for 127 Hours. Franco’s currently starring in more films than ever, but it’s difficult to even notice him when he’s going through the motions so hard; Spring Breakers very much excepted, of course.

There’s rarely been a better case of an actor breaking type in the last few years than James Franco playing a gold-toothed, corn-rowed, bling-obsessed rapper and self-confessed gangsta in Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. The film is beautifully so-so, until Franco comes along doing something you’ve never seen from him before, elevating the film to ridiculous art.