Busy Philipps Accuses James Franco Of Assaulting Her On Set

HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - Actress Busy Philipps in an upcoming memoir accuses James Franco physically assaulting her when the pair filmed the teen cult comedy "Freaks and Geeks," it was reported Tuesday. The memoir, which was leaked, also delves into a rape she survived at 14.

In "This Will Only Hurt a Little," she describes the tension on set where they each got their breakout roles playing a tumultuous high school couple. Philipps and Franco famously disliked one another during filming, She describes her co-star as a "bully," but admits that she put up with it because she felt expendable.

In an excerpt leaked online Monday that The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed is authentic, Philipps alleges that Franco pushed her after filming a scene. The short-lived NBC sitcom aired for one season from 1999-2000.

"It wasn't even outrageous. At the time, 19 and with my first professional acting job, I was under the impression that this was just the way things were," she told The Hollywood Reporter . "James and I have talked about it over the years. At one point he apologized to me. I was always acutely aware of my expendability, and so I felt I needed to never complain, always show up on time and not be difficult. If someone else was being difficult, it was my job to be the easy one or figure out a way to soothe the situation."

In her book, Philipps details the incident in which a script called for her to nudge Franco in the chest. He didn't like it, she wrote.

"He grabbed both my arms and screamed in my face, 'Don't ever touch me again!"' Philipps writes. ``And he threw me to the ground. Flat on my back. Wind knocked out of me."

According to Philipps, she described the alleged incident to co-star Linda Cardellini, and Franco eventually apologized after being told to do so by the episode's director and producers. She contends Franco was never punished for his alleged assault, according to the Reporter.

It's not the first time she discussed her dislike of Franco while they were working together.

During a 2016 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Philipps told host Andy Cohen about the confrontation with Franco on the set of Freaks and Geeks.

``When we were 19, we were on Freaks and Geeks and we really, really disliked each other. It's well-documented," Philipps said. ``He, like, shoved me to the ground once. It was really brutal. But we're friends now and we really like each other now as adults."

Aside from the assault involving Franco, Philipps revealed days ago that her book will also detail her experience being raped at 14 years old, according to the Reporter. The actress shared her story last week, hours after Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

``This is me at 14. The age I was raped. It's taken me 25 years to say those words. I wrote about it in my book. I finally told my parents and sister about it four months ago," Philipps wrote on Instagram, according to the Reporter. ``Tuesday is the day we are silent no more. All of us. I'm scared to post this. I can't imagine what Dr. Ford is feeling right now."

City News Service contributed to this report. OCTOBER 07: Busy Philipps attends P.S. ARTS Express Yourself 2018 at Barker Hangar on October 7, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for P.S. ARTS); BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 07: Actor/director James Franco attends The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)