Hollywood star Dave Franco is very much aware of the comparisons being drawn between his likeness and that of alleged murderer Luigi Mangione.
Mangione, the key suspect tied to the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, became somewhat of a folk hero online for his supposed vengeance targeting the widely perceived negative practices of the U.S. health insurance industry.
The 26-year-old's natural attractiveness was also widely covered in the media, sparked by social media users sharing thirst trap personal photos taken of Mangione shirtless prior to his arrest.
It didn't take long for the internet to hope for a true crime series about Mangione from American Horror Story scribe Ryan Murphy with Franco portraying the indicted murderer.
Recently, Franco opened up about how “anyone who has [his] phone number” had been reaching out to him about playing Mangione in an upcoming project.
The 39-year-old actor, and younger brother of actor James Franco, told The Hollywood Reporter:
“I've never received more texts in my life about anything.”
The Disaster Artist actor's latest project is the horror film Together, in which he co-stars with his wife, Alison Brie.
After mentioning his awareness of fans comparing him to Mangione, Brie joked, “But I don’t think there have been any official offers," to which Franco responded:
“No, no official offers.”
Social media users shared their input about Franco possibly starring as Mangione in a future project.
Some were opposed to the idea.
Together, written and directed by Michael Shanks, is about a couple played by real-life married couple Franco and Brie, who move to the countryside and experience a supernatural encounter that "drastically alters their relationship, existence, and physical form." according to IMDb.
The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Sunday.
On December 9, five days after the targeted shooting of the insurance executive, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a manhunt in which he was named, a "strong person of interest."
A confidential assessment of the crime by the NYPD intelligence bureau described Mangione as appearing to "view the targeted killing...as a symbolic takedown and a direct challenge to its alleged corruption and 'power games.'"
Mangione faces several charges, including second-degree murder, to which he pleaded "not guilty."
He is being held in a New York federal facility.
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