James Franco and his gorgeous partner and fellow actor, Izabel Pakzad, attended the opening ceremony and “The Electric Kiss” screening on Tuesday, May 12, as part of the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival. The event is held in Cannes, France.
James Franco Attends Cannes Film Festival With Izabel Pakzad
GettyThe couple opted for timeless outfits, with Franco posing in a classic black suit with a white collared shirt and black bow tie. He smiled widely for the cameras and appeared to be having a great time with Pakzad, who matched his energy and outfit, wearing a simple black slip dress that looked gorgeous on her. She accessorized with black strappy sandals, a silver choker necklace, and silver earrings.
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GettyAt one point on the red carpet, Pakzad nuzzled into Franco’s neck while they posed for photos. They appear very much in love.
GettyJames Franco & Izabel Pakzad’s Relationship
Franco and Pakzad have been dating since 2017. The couple has been in a long-term, committed relationship, which was new for Franco, and he addressed this in a 2024 interview with Variety.
“I mean, I really didn’t have a personal life. I had friends, but it was always sort of enmeshed with my work. And so, yeah, I put a lot of time into my personal life,” he said. “I’ve had a relationship for seven-and-a-half years. I was never able to do that before. I was just too scared, really … to have any sort of real intimacy with anyone.”
In the same interview, Franco discussed his past controversies and how things had changed. He was honest in his response, noting how his priorities had to shift. “So now, after having the pause and, I think, changing priorities, I guess what I seek to fulfill me in life [is different],” he said. “Ultimately, I think I’m kind of grateful because it did afford me a chance to just do whatever private work and really change what I need to change. So now that I am working, I can just be there for the project. It’s not about me trying to fill some hole with work, it’s just about, ‘Wow, I have a really great life. I’m very grateful, and I hope to serve whatever project I do.'”
She Is Incredible
Like Franco, Pakzad is an actress and filmmaker who has appeared in an episode of his HBO series, “The Deuce,” and, more recently, she wrote and directed the film “Find Your Friends,” People reports. Apart from rare interviews, the couple is very private about their relationship, choosing not to discuss it in the media. Pakzad is active on social media, but she does not share photos of Franco.
In a 2022 interview on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Podcast, Franco discussed how his approach to dating changed after he met Pakzad. “It sort of just like the clouds open … and I was ready to start dating,” he said. He continued, “She’s incredible. I’m so lucky that I found her,” and he described her as “smart, funny, gorgeous.”
