There are a surprising number of left-handed celebrities in Hollywood today, including many examples you’re probably unaware of. As one of the more enigmatic actors working today, you might wonder if James Franco possesses this rare trait.
James Franco is not left-handed. This is most clearly visible in photos of him signing autographs or other examples of him favoring his right hand. While he did once use his left hand to hold a white rose in a 2014 Super Bowl commercial, this is an exception to the general rule that he predominantly uses his right hand.
To learn more about why James Franco is almost certainly right-handed and the possible evidence to the contrary, read on.
Left Handed?
While there are many examples of left-handed celebrities (Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, and Lady Gaga are three A-List examples), it isn’t always easy to discover whether or not a specific individual is left-handed.
There are occasions where an actor has portrayed a left-handed character despite being right-handed in reality. A recent example is Maisie Williams, who took the initiative to wield her sword left-handed in “Game of Thrones” after reading the novels on which the hit series was based. Arya Stark was left-handed, so Maisie felt her TV incarnation should also be.
In James Franco’s case, we can only look at the real-life evidence in an attempt to ascertain his dominant hand. There is one notable example of him holding something left-handed: his 2014 Super Bowl commercial for the Ford Fusion.
The commercial features Franco leaning out of a window holding a white rose in his left hand and looking right to speak to the viewer. This is unusual for the actor, who is generally pictured holding items in his right hand. We can only assume this was a stylistic choice and not indicative of any overriding left-handedness.
Or Right Handed?
When we closely examine photographs taken of Franco during public appearances, we get a better sense of which is truly his preferred hand. The strongest evidence of all is when we see him writing his autograph, a common occurrence for one of Hollywood’s brightest stars and an author of several books.
After all, many people can be ambidextrous in particular skills (for example, MLB statistics displayed a far higher percentage of left-handed hitters than the national average of left-handed individuals). This is rarely the case when dealing with somebody’s handwriting; after all, why would you need to write in your other hand except to possibly sign two autographs at once?
Photographs from signings do not lie. An image captured at a 2012 signing at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) shows Franco signing a copy of his book “The Dangerous Book Four Boys” for a fan. The image clearly shows Franco holding the book with his left hand but signing inside the cover with his right hand, conclusive evidence that he at least writes right-handed.
Similarly, a 2014 commercial for Verizon prominently features Franco holding and operating a Droid Turbo cellphone with his right hand. While this is in contrast to his rose holding in the same year, the prowess with which he operates the phone with his right hand seems a sure sign that the actor is right-handed.
Given the evidence, we can only conclude that James Franco is not left-handed, at least in delicate tasks such as writing and operating a cellphone. Whether or not he is ambidextrous in other facets of his life is not something we can answer with any certainty but we can be sure that his left hand is not his dominant hand.