James Franco stars in “Love, Lies & Frank”, a microdrama now streaming exclusively on Shortical. The series is among the first made under SAG-AFTRA’s Verticals Agreement, and its casting is presented as a sign that established Hollywood talent is increasingly entering the mobile-first, short-form drama market.

Franco plays Jimmy Frank, an ad-agency chief facing criminal and supernatural threats, while Neela Jolene’s character must choose between her career and a secret relationship with his stepbrother, played by Eric Guilmette. The production was directed by Eric Wang Schwager, written by Melissa Lynn Moore and produced by Knockout Shorts with Gold Films; it said it used no AI-generated performances or digital replicas.